Darkness Falls, Light Rises?
by Dengirl
Summary: If there were more than seven levels of Hell, then Jack must have fallen into the very bottom. The Darkness had been consumed by the ancient enemy, but something worse had taken its place.
1. Chapter 1

Jack sank to the grating of the TARDIS, his hands clamped to his ears as the Cloister Bell continued its deafening alarm. He knew what it meant, knew what disaster was going to unfold.

His mind flashed back to that future the Chaos had shown him...now it was coming true in a nightmarish reality.

He thought he heard a voice but perhaps he was imagining it. He was totally surprised when the voice turned into a hefty slap.

* * *

"Jack!" Gwen snapped and slapped him hard across the face. She was scared and the red light and that awful bell scraped at every nerve.

"Will you shut up!" she screamed at the TARDIS.

The sudden silence was deafening as the bell stopped and the red light faded until the console room was its usual gold and green.

She sighed with relief and turned her attention to Jack who seemed not have responded to the slap. She sat back, unsure of what to do.

It was then that she heard a familiar voice clear its throat. She turned a standing in front of the console was a hologram of a very familiar figure.

"Ah right...Gwen isn't it?" the hologram said.

Gwen frowned, how could a hologram know who was inside the TARDIS. "How did you?" she started to say before she realised she was talking to a hologram. "I'm talking to a hologram."

The hologram for some reason looked slightly uncomfortable, if that was possible. "Actually no, I'm not a hologram..."

Gwen stood up and walked up the ramp, leaving a still insensate Jack. "You look like a hologram?"

The hologram looked slightly perturbed at her words. "How to explain without all the techno-babble...basically I'm information in the form of a non-corporeal bio-created storage unit."

The image frowned when Gwen still looked confused and sighed. "If it makes it easier then I'm a data-ghost."

Gwen went to speak but Jack cut her off. "You downloaded your consciousness into the TARDIS."

* * *

The image flickered slightly and began walking down the ramp, its feet soundless on the metal.

Gwen shivered as she felt a rush of cold air; it felt like a ghost had walked past her but now it was closer she could see more detail. There was that spark of something alien in the images eyes, that other-worldly intelligence.

The image crouched down on its haunches in front of Jack.

"Yes, call it a fail-safe, just in case someone gets hold of me that shouldn't. Someone like Davros."

Jack straightened then, a look of anger crossed his face. "So an ancient thing from another universe doesn't count and how long have you been inside the TARDIS."

The image was taken aback by the vehemence in Jack's voice. "I couldn't risk it whilst the Darkness was still inside. I couldn't have that inside the TARDIS's neural inter-face. I had to wait for the right time."

Jack wasn't appeased by the explanation. He stood up and stepped right up to the image, who took a step back.

"The right time...the right time? Six months of death and anarchy and war and you had to wait!"

Jack's voice had risen to a shout and a look of hurt crossed the images face. The look changed to one of anger and the image stepped forward again.

"That's right, six months. Six months of seeing people and planets destroyed and not being able to stop it. Six months of waiting and hoping and then what! My greatest enemy has done the worst thing imaginable. But you know what the worst thing is, this is only temporary. My body even in its current hybrid state won't survive without me. I have to go back, back into that thing!"

The image fizzled and began to break apart before coalescing again.

Jack took in the images angry words and tried to make sense of them...hybrid, what did he mean by hybrid?

"Doctor, what do you mean...?"

His question was stopped short as the image began to fade.

"You have to find the Light Jack, stop the Darkness," the image said in a ghostly whisper as it faded into nothing.

Before Jack or Gwen could comprehend what had happened the TARDIS lurched violently and a familiar voice with an unfamiliar and chilling edge to it echoed around them.

"I know you're in there Captain Harkness. You might as well come out, there's no escape. You will come out and become a part of the new master race."


	2. Chapter 2

Davros once again moved round the figure, admiring his new creation. He wondered what part of its personality was Dalek and what part was still Time Lord. Time to test it he thought.

He turned to the Supreme Dalek. "Bring the humans that were in the TARDIS."

The Supreme Dalek didn't answer straight away and Davros thought it looked at the figure standing opposite him.

"Well, the humans," he said testily.

"There were no humans aboard the TARDIS."

"What do you mean, there are no humans? The readings said there were two humans on board."

The Supreme Dalek didn't reply and swivelled it head to look first at the hybrid, then at Davros.

Davros watched the Dalek for a few moments. Had some form of communication taken place between the hybrid and the Supreme Dalek?

He dismissed it, the command code he'd implanted in the hybrid and the Daleks ensured complete obedience.

"I will investigate this myself!" he barked

He turned to the hybrid. "You will wait whilst I investigate."

The Dalek/Time Lord hybrid looked at Davros and its eyes took on that luminous blue quality once more.

"I obey," it said.

Once again the suspicion that something had occurred between the two arose unbidden...that would be something to watch.

* * *

The hybrid watched as Davros glided out of the room. He turned and faced the Supreme Dalek.

"You escorted the humans to the TARDIS did you not?"

"Affirmative, but Davros will discover the deception and we shall be exterminated."

"Do not concern yourself. My control over the others is increasing and Davros is my concern."

"Why do you command the escape of the humans?"

"They are useful. There is something that only they can find. Once we have it and it is exterminated the new Dalek Time Lord Empire will be all powerful. You must ready the fleet. "

"I obey," the Supreme Dalek said.

The hybrid closed its eyes and called out to his new subject. "When I command, you will exterminate those that do not comply."

"We obey!" a multitude of voices replied.

* * *

The voice grated on Jack's nerves, even though he knew that Davros was probably dead. But that was in the future and who was he to say that the Darkness's interference hadn't changed the future.

The only good Dalek was an extinct one his father had told him.

He heard Davros demand their exit and moved closer to Gwen. "We have to go out. The TARDIS can't withstand these Daleks."

He made to open the door but Gwen grabbed his arm. "Wait Jack, there's something not right here. Why would the Dalek us go and then Davros tries to stop us?"

Jack shook his head. "It's one of his sick little games. See how far the lab rat runs before closing the trap."

Gwen shook her head. "No Jack, why would Davros waste his time? He would have had us exterminated there and then."

Jack stood at the door, his hand on the handle.

"What if it's not Davros, what if it's someone else, what if it's the Doctor?"

Jack shook his head. "No, it's Davros."

He went to turn the handle but pulled his hand back in shock when sparks flew from it and the distinct sound of the TARDIS door locking followed it.

Seconds later the sounds of the TARDIS engine filled the room.

Jack allowed himself a small smile...the Doctor, always one step ahead of everybody else. But the smile was tinged with sadness, what had he left the Doctor to face alone.

* * *

The Doctor smiled as he felt the TARDIS leave. He may be trapped in the tiny part of his mind that he'd managed to salvage, but he could still help Jack.

He wished he could have told Jack everything back at the hospital. He knew the Darkness was coming...knew what it wanted, that much he'd gotten from The Chaos.

He'd been quiet prepared to sacrifice himself and destroy his own body, but then he'd seen what the Darkness had planned for this universe.

What he hadn't expected was the Darkness actually finding Davros, even if it was before that fateful day when everything changed.

He felt a frisson of fear...fear at what would become of the future. Would any of it happen now?

He could feel the cold tendrils of the Dalek DNA probing at his defences.

He didn't know how long he could hold it off.

The data-ghost had been a panicked and hurried decision and he hadn't been able to download himself properly into the TARDIS's systems. So he was stuck inside a body that was now a monstrosity and there was nothing he could do.

His only hope was that Jack would find the clues he'd left and that the ancient weapon he needed would not fall into the hands of the  
abomination that was once his body.

* * *

Jack tightened his grip on the railings as the TARDIS threw herself along the Vortex. He was beginning to appreciate the Doctor's haphazard driving. He looked over at Gwen who was also hanging on for dear life.

There was nothing either of them could do; they could only wait for this crazy ride to stop.

As if the TARDIS could read their minds she landed with a heavy thump and rocked for a few seconds before finally settling.

Jack and Gwen looked at each other, not daring to let go of the railings.

They both jumped when a voice said.

"Well, are you going to hang there and pretend to be Christmas decorations all day or are you going to go outside and look at the great  
big clue I've lead you to."

The data-ghost of the Doctor was standing by the door. "C'mon, I can't stay for long," he said and walked through still closed doors of the TARDIS.

With a look of confusion Jack opened the door, followed by Gwen.

They stopped after a few paces as their way was blocked by what looked like the biggest pyramid they'd ever seen.

Jack looked over at the ghostly form of the Doctor. "This is a clue?"

"No, not the pyramid, what's on the inside is," the Doctor replied.

"And how are we supposed to get inside?" Gwen asked.

"Ah...well," the Doctor began.

Jack sighed, he knew that tone. "This isn't going to be easy, is it?"

The ghostly form of the Doctor had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Sorry no, you have to climb."

Gwen looked up at the huge pyramid. "What are we supposed to be looking for exactly?"

"There's a set of scrolls, right in the middle. I was intending on getting them myself but..." the Doctor said and waved a hand that passed right through the pyramid wall.

The Doctor began to fade. "You have to find them Jack. Find the scrolls, find the Light."

The last few words were just a ghostly whisper and then he was gone.

Gwen shrugged her shoulder. "I guess we climb until we find a door."

Jack nodded and they began climbing.

They had been climbing for what seemed ages when they both felt the familiar cold breeze and the ghostly image of the Doctor appeared in front of them.

"One thing Jack, watch for the..."

The Doctor never finished the sentence because Gwen gave a startled cry and disappeared through a hole that had appeared.

"Gwen!" Jack cried and went to move but found him was plummeting into blackness.

"Traps," the Doctor finished the sentence. "I'm sorry Jack," he said and faded away.


	3. Chapter 3

Trapped inside his little world, the Doctor ground his teeth in frustration. If only he'd had more time, then it wouldn't have mattered if his current body was lost. But as it was time was not on his side and the link between the TARDIS and himself was spotty and unreliable.

Now Jack and Gwen caught in one of the traps that protected the Scrolls of Inara and he wasn't there to help them.

His thoughts were interrupted by a feeling he thought no longer existed. If he was in control of his body, he would have been afraid...no terrified...it wasn't gone and it was growing in strength.

* * *

The Supreme Dalek swivelled its head towards the door. "Davros is coming, we will be exterminated."

The hybrid put a hand on the gleaming metal of the Dalek. "Peace, you forget, this body is only part Dalek. The other half is Time Lord and Time Lords can lie so well."

The hybrid stepped forward and placed himself between the Dalek and the door. He could feel Davros' anger before he entered the room.

The Dalek part of his body screeched in protest at the very thought of what the Time Lord half was going to do. But the whole that was the hybrid smiled to itself, knowing that soon it would be Davros who would obey.

Davros was incandescent with barely controlled rage. He roared his anger and frustration as the TARDIS began to fade from sight.

It had enraged him when he realised he'd been lied to. He was right, there had been some sought of communication between the hybrid and the Supreme Dalek.

That would not do...not at all.

He glided into the room and found both the hybrid and the Supreme Dalek both in the same place he'd left them.

"Did you instruct the Supreme Dalek to lie to me!" he roared.

"I am not designed to lie to you creator," the hybrid replied.

The look of innocence on the hybrid's face only made him more enraged. "If it were not for the fact that you are unique, you would be nothing but genetic soup!"

If Davros had been looking at the hybrid he would have seen the bright blue of its eyes turn a smoky grey.

"I think you need a little more time in the converter, to rid you of more of your Time Lord traits."

He moved towards the hybrid but found his way barred by the Supreme Dalek.

"You will not approach the Emperor."

Davros moved back a little. "Move aside!" he bellowed.

The Supreme Dalek didn't moved but lowered its weapon until it was level with Davros' head. "You will not approach!"

"Move aside, you will obey me!"

The Supreme Dalek remained.

"Obey me!"

The hybrid stepped from behind the Supreme Dalek and Davros moved back again. Its eyes were no longer the luminous blue of his design but were the colour of oil and the intelligence that shone from them was not one of Dalek design.

"I'm sorry, but he no longer obeys you. He has a new master...me."


	4. Chapter 4

Gwen thought she was never going to stop falling. The pitch black only added to her fear, the fear of falling forever.

When she hit what she hoped was water it was a complete surprise. What was even more surprising was the fact the water was warm and was there light emanating from somewhere?

She could just about see her surroundings and if her eyes weren't deceiving her it looked like she was in a tank.

It was then that she heard a splashing from behind her.

This wasn't good and then she felt something brush her leg. She turned in the water and the something brushed against her leg again.

Then she felt something like needles against her leg and she screamed.

* * *

Jack hit the floor with a bone-crunching thud and wished he'd died straight away. Instead it took him a good ten minutes to die; bleeding out was never a good way to go.

He came back to life with the customary rush of light and the wave of pain that shredded ever nerve and muscle.

Wherever he was it wasn't dark, but was lit by rows of torches. "Okay, all I need now is a mummy to show up."

The words had only just left his mouth when a scream echoed down the corridor. He recognised that scream.

"Gwen!" he cried and clambered to his feet and sprinted in the direction of the echo.

* * *

Gwen kicked out at whatever was in the water. She knew she was bleeding and she was trying not to panic. Panic would increase the blood flow and she really didn't want to attract anymore of whatever might be in the tank.

Whatever it was hadn't come back after the initial bite, but that didn't mean it wasn't still there.

She turned nervously in the water, straining to see into the diffused light of the tank. Then she saw it, a dark shape against the light and it was heading straight for her.

With a cry of terror she swam backward to what she hoped was the edge of the tank, her eyes never leaving the dark shape in the water.

It was approaching fast and she could now see its jaws and she couldn't stop the scream that left her mouth.

She closed her eyes and waited for the agony of being bitten in two. She felt something grab her and she said a silent goodbye as the thing...pulled her upwards?

She felt not jaws but hands hauling her upwards and out of the water. There was huge gush of water as the things jaws snapped inches away from her feet.

"I've got you!" a familiar voice yelled and she collapsed into Jack's arms. "I've got you," his voice said in a softer tone.

She woke to find Jack smiling down at her.

"Jack!" she cried, looking round her wildly.

"Ssh, it's okay," he said and sat back.

Gwen struggled up and managed to lean against the wall of the pyramid. "Well, we found a way in."

Jack let out a small laugh. "I guess we did." He looked up into the darkness. "Thank for the warning Doc."

"So, what do we do now?" Gwen asked.

Jack looked at the tank and then at the corridor. "It looks like this tunnel only goes one way. This thing the Doctor called the Light must be down here. I guess we find it and figure out what it is later."

Gwen nodded. "But what did he mean when he said his body was in a hybrid state?"

Jack fell silent, a cold feeling chilling his blood. "It's something not good," he said and stood, offering a hand to Gwen.

"Let's go."

* * *

Davros roared with impotent rage as he was placed in a holding cell. "I will destroy you!" he roared as the hybrid closed the cell door.

"Really, that's an interesting idea. I have survived for millennia, faced enemies far more powerful than you. Did you really think that toy of yours was going to destroy me? All you have done is repair the damage done to this body and for that I thank you."

The screams of Davros were cut off as the cell door slammed shut.

The Darkness surveyed the hybrid reflection in the metal of the door...this body was stronger, faster and full of new information.

He turned away from the cell and spoke to the Supreme Dalek. "Is the tracker functioning?"

"Affirmative, the TARDIS has made planet fall."

"Excellent, move the fleet. We will find the scrolls and from there we will eventually find the Light."

"I obey!" the Supreme Dalek replied and moved off.

The Darkness smiled, soon the only thing capable of destroying him would be no more and then he would be all powerful.

He laughed when he heard the small sound of what was left of the Time Lord's self scream its frustration.

He felt the floor under him vibrate and he moved over to a window and watched as countless ships moved as one.

He began to laugh again... Darkness Rises and the Light shall fall!


	5. Chapter 5

Martha tired not to fidget as Suraal ran the scanner over her legs.

He scowled when she twitched. "Please Martha Jones. This will not go any quicker by moving your legs."

Martha gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but..."

"I know you want to join the search for your friends, but it will be no good to anyone if you try and walk on still damaged legs."

Martha sighed...Suraal was right, but still she wanted out. It had been two weeks since Jack and Gwen had gone after the Doctor...no the Darkness. Two weeks since was left of the Darkness's fleet had. Two weeks since the report that Major Lissar had boarded the flagships, and even longer since Ianto had been captured.

She wondered where they all were and were they still all alive. That thought terrified her...the thought of being alone in a universe without the people she knew and cared about.

She twitched again and smiled again when Suraal tutted.

He'd just finished when a soldier burst into the room. "Doctor Jones, they're back and they've got Major Jones!"

* * *

Ianto had expected to die in his cell, chained to its cold steel walls. He'd been alone, apart from the unwanted visits from the Darkness.

He could have tolerated the torture from a stranger; but when your torturer wore the face of a person you looked up to and considered a friend, it became more than just torture. He remembered vividly his first encounter with the Darkness.

"Wake up pretty boy, it's no fun talking to yourself," a voice cut into the dark that surrounded him.

He jerked awake at the unsavoury tone in that voice. He recoiled at the set of black orbs that were only inches from his face.

"Ianto Jones, not pleased to see me? I see absence has done nothing to your heart. Oh well, I'll have to persuade you to want me."

"Go to hell!" Ianto spat.

The blow he received in returned loosened at least two of his teeth. He spat the blood into his abuser's face.

The growl it elicited froze his blood and he knew he'd made a mistake.

The thing that wore the Doctor's face growled and grabbed hold of Ianto's hair and kissed him. It was a kiss that held no passion or feeling; it was cold and full of unpleasant lust.

"Ianto Jones," the Darkness snarled. "You really shouldn't play hard to get, I'll just hurt you more."

Ianto closed his eyes at the first blow and let his mind slip away.

The sounds of gunfire and the shouts of panicked voices startled Ianto from his world.

Through blurred vision he thought he saw a familiar figure. Relief flooded through as a familiar voice spoke into his ears.

"It's okay, you're safe now."

That had been two days ago. Now he was stepping off a shuttle, eyes blinking at the sunlight. He narrowed his eyes at the brightness, so he didn't really see the figure that threw their arms around him.

"Oh thank god!" a female voice cried into his shoulder...Martha?

The next few hours were filled with every test that he recognised and some he didn't. The pain of the beatings, the torture and the things he would not think of were now painkiller fuzzed memories.

But the one person he really wanted to see wasn't there. He looked up when Martha entered the room.

"Martha, where's Jack?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Sorry for the short chapters, longer one next time...promise.**_

Jack had picked up one of the torches and for a fleeting moment he wondered how it stayed alight.

"I feel like a very big rat in a huge maze," Gwen said from behind him.

"Or a really bad Indiana Jones movie," Jack replied, quirking a smile.

"Ha, ha," Gwen said. "If there's a hole full of creepy crawlies, you can put your hand in."

They stopped when the corridor turned into wall.

"Great, another dead end," Jack sighed and turned.

They began backtracking when the sound of something grinding filled the tunnel.

"Jack!" Gwen yelled and began running.

Up ahead a brick door was slowly lowering, small amounts of sand and dirt were trickling from its sides.

They dashed towards the ever decreasing gap but as they reached it stopped with a muffled fatalistic thud.

"No!" Jack yelled and thumped the wall...they were trapped!

* * *

The Supreme Dalek watched its new Emperor as he closed his eyes and communed with the others. It could feel the Emperor's mind...feel the power of it...feel the dark heart of it.

This was what the Dalek race had been waiting for, an Emperor to take them to new heights.

"What is it Supreme Dalek?" the Emperor asked.

"The prisoners you requested have been scanned and selected."

The Emperor opened his eyes and looked at the Supreme Dalek. The mutant inside squirmed with a new sensation...fear.

"Good, bring them to me. I will select those that are fit for transmutation."

"I obey," the Supreme Dalek said. "Bring the prisoners."

Seconds later a group of about twenty, some human, some not were herded into the chamber. They were lined up in front of the Emperor.

They nervously looked at the figure, unsure of what was happening.

The Emperor approached the first, a Sontaran. "No, the genetic purity is contaminated, extermination."

He went along the line, the Supreme Dalek following him. The ones that were selected were pushed forward.

"You will serve the Emperor and become the new master race. Take them to the chambers, exterminate the others."

There were cries of "No!" and "Mercy" that were cut short by the rake of a Dalek laser.

"Mercy has no place in the new Empire," the Emperor said. The Darkness smiled to himself...soon he would have mastery of the Dalek DNA within this body and then he would rid himself of what remained of the Time Lord's consciousness. Soon his destiny would be fulfilled.


	7. Chapter 7

"I can't believe we're trapped!" Jack snarled as he nursed a grazed knuckle.

"Well we are," Gwen said from her position on the floor.

Jack ignored the sarcasm in her voice and sank down beside her. He'd just settled when a cold breeze ruffled his hair and a figure faded into view.

"What are you doing sitting there? This isn't a holiday camp."

Jack scowled at the almost see through figure of the Doctor.

"Does it look like I'm sunbathing? We're in a god-damned trap!"

The figure solidified and crouched down in front of Jack and Gwen.

"I'm sorry, both of you. It's my fault. I should have been doing this. It's not something humans should be doing."

"Yeah well, we are. You said something about a hybrid state. What does that mean?"

The Doctor shifted and stood up and Jack knew he was avoiding the question when he said.

"The answer to the trap is on the wall Jack. The symbols are like the Big Bad Wolf," he said and wandered over to the wall.

Jack tried not shiver as the Doctor made no sound and left no footprints in the dust.

Jack looked at Gwen who raised an eyebrow and allowed Jack to pull her up.

As they got closer to the wall they could see that the surface was no longer smooth. Dotted across the wall at shoulder height were raised symbols in a language they didn't recognise.

"What a minute, I know this language, its Farian," Jack said.

The Doctor reached out a ghostly hand and pointed to one symbol. "Yes, they designed the traps for this pyramid. It's a puzzle-gram, get one symbol wrong and bam!"

Both Jack and Gwen jumped, not expecting the spectral form to have such a loud voice.

Jack studied the symbols. "Farian which means you have to think literal and sideways. Doctor, what happens?"

He turned towards the Doctor but he was gone, back to whatever hell he was trapped in.

"Just you and me then, "he said to Gwen. "Here goes nothing," he said and pressed the symbol the Doctor had pointed at.

There was a satisfying clunk and the symbol retracted. "That was the symbol for water, which would mean the next symbol would be..." he scanned the wall, saw the symbol he wanted. " Drought, Gwen the symbol that looks like a half-moon with three wavy lines at the side, press it."

Gwen reached up and pushed. There was the satisfying rumble as the symbol retracted.

"The Doc said it was like the Big Bad Wolf. What did he mean?"

Gwen thought for a moment. "Got it, Three Little Pigs, you only get three chances."

Jack stepped back. "Great. Draught goes to..."

"Flood," Gwen suggested.

Jack scanned the symbols. "No, too literal. Think sideways. So drought is to..."

"Monsoon, rain, downpour, I don't know," Gwen said.

Jack scanned the symbols and then he saw it. "No, it couldn't be!"

"What is it?" Gwen said.

"Noah!" Jack exclaimed and pressed the symbol.

* * *

There was a rumble and the wall began to move and sand and dust began to shower them. The grinding of gears filled their ears and the wall slowly ascended to reveal a short corridor that ended in a set of huge bronze doors.

"Could it get anymore Indiana Jones," Jack said as he grasped hold of the jewel encrusted handles.

The doors swung inwards with a suitable metallic groan. As they opened torches burst into life and revealed a stone dais, on which a plain wooden box sat.

Gwen stepped forward and went to grab the box.

"No!" Jack cried and dived for her, pushing her to one side just as three darts winged across the room and embedded themselves in the wall as Jack hit the floor.

"Screw this!" Jack growled and scrabbled up and dove for the dais and snatched the box.

The dais collapsed and an ominous rumbling filled the air.

"Not again!" Jack yelled.

"No, it's not coming from inside, its coming from outside!" Gwen exclaimed.

The rumble increased. "That sounds like an explosion," Jack said.

They both froze as a metallic shriek of death echoed through the chamber.

"Find the scrolls! Exterminate any opposition!"

* * *

The Darkness subdued the last of the Dalek Imperative that was woven through his host's body as he stepped through the hole that had been blasted in the side of the pyramid. But still he had to be cautious, one false step and he would be nothing but dust.

He himself would survive but he needed the Time Lord's body, needed it for when he faced the Light.

If he's been right, Captain Harkness and Gwen Cooper would have found the scrolls by now.

Although the Daleks drones were shrieking "Exterminate" he had no intention of letting them kill either of them.

There were at least three more objects that needed to be found and he needed the humans for that. He would have done it himself but the designers and keepers of the Light had designed the traps to recognise him and he would have been destroyed.

So the humans were the next best option and they were expendable.

"Find the scrolls, they will be on the upper levels," he said to the Supreme Dalek as it glided to halt beside him.

"I obey!" it said and glided off into the smoke that now filled the passageway.

The Darkness turned away and began moving in the opposite direction that the Daleks had taken. He stopped when he realised he was alone.

He sighed. "You will follow!" he called and a few seconds later a half dozen figures appeared in front of him.

"We will find the scrolls. You will arm yourselves."

"We obey!" six voices chorused and the sound of six weapons being primed spelt death for someone.

* * *

"What the hell are they doing here!" Jack said as he hefted the wooden box.

"Who cares, they're here and we're dead!" Gwen said as she grabbed hold of Jack and hauled him out of the chamber.

They ran and stopped only when their lungs screamed at them to stop. They pushed themselves into a small alcove, knowing that it wouldn't hide them for long.

Jack set the box down "They wouldn't be here for us, so they must be here for this."

He lifted the lid cautiously, expecting the worse but was disappointed when nothing happened.

Inside were three scrolls, bound together with golden thread.

Gwen let out a laugh. "Is that it? Three lousy scrolls."

Jack took the scrolls out of the box and carefully unravelled them. They felt old and he felt very uneasy at holding them.

The metallic shrieks of the Daleks shattered whatever uneasiness Jack may have felt.

He unrolled one of the scrolls. It was covered in the same symbols that had been on the wall.

"What would they want with these?" he said out loud.

Then he spotted a line of symbols, the only one highlighted in gold. He spoke the words out loud as he traced his finger along them.

"The path to the light must traverse the Dark and the traveller must face the Dragon."

"What the hell does that mean?" Gwen said as she peered nervously round the corner of their less than secure hiding place.

Jack said nothing, he was deep in thought. "Wait a minute, these are coordinates. The Dragon is the Soltasian Nebula. We have to get out of here."

He placed the scrolls back into the box and had just closed the lid when he felt a now familiar breeze.

The Doctor coalesced in front of him.

But it wasn't that which made Jack shiver, it was the look of fear on the Doctor's face.

"You have to go...go now Jack...he's coming!"


	8. Chapter 8

The Darkness could smell it...they'd found the scrolls. "Increase your pace, they have found it!" he barked at the six, who set off at a marching speed.

He enjoyed playing this game of cat and mouse...catch the humans then let them go. What a curious but wonderful game this was, so human. The Time Lord's mind was full of such wonderful memories; but they were the trivial things, things that meant nothing to him. The memories he really wanted were locked away from him, all that Time Lord knowledge; all that power.

He'd been blind-sided by the conversion of his host's body but he'd turned to his advantage.

The memories of the Daleks were almost as potent as that of the Time Lord memories he still craved for. This universe had so much potential, the potential to give him the power he'd been craving for millennia.

He would build a new Empire, but first he had to destroy the one thing that could stop him...the Light.

That had been his only regret in his long life. He should have destroyed the Light when he had the opportunity.

Instead he had to be satisfied with destroying those that had help the Light escape. He'd been searching ever since for the whereabouts of it and now he was nearer that he could ever dream of.

Find the Light...extinguish it.

"Increase your pace, they have found the scrolls. Bring them to me!"

"We obey!" six voices said as one.

* * *

The Doctor's ghostly features were taut with fear, giving him an even more spectral appearance.

"He's coming Jack, you have to leave!"

"Who's coming?" Jack asked.

"Please Jack. Take the scrolls..."

The Doctor's face creased in ghostly agony and he winked out of existence.

Gwen's cry of alarm jolted Jack back into reality, as did her pushing him to the ground.

The distinctive green glow of a Dalek rake bit into the stone above his head.

They both stilled when a voice rang out...a very familiar voice.

"You might as well come out. Hiding will not save you."

Gwen and Jack looked at each other and with a silent agreement they both stood and stepped out of their hiding place.

Gwen grabbed Jack's hand and he felt it tighten when he stepped out of the shadows.

Jack took in the pale skin and the black eyes of something he thought was dead. He frowned...there was something different...something more wrong, if that were possible.

Then it fell into place when other figures appeared out of the shadow.

Their skin was pale and lined with veins, just like the Doctor's; but it was the blue glow of the eyes that sealed it. They shone with the same blue as the Dalek eyestalk.

The Doctor had fallen victim to the one thing that would have terrified him...an unholy fusion of Time Lord, Dalek and the Darkness.

* * *

"Hand over the box," the Darkness said.

"It's just an empty box," Jack said, his tone casual and full of disinterest.

A small smile played across the Darkness's face. "Really Captain, I know you're bluffing. I have the Time Lord's memories. You are an open book to me."

"Hmm, is that so?" Jack replied. "In that case, your library card has just expired!"

He threw the box in the air, aiming it at one of the torches.

"No!" the Darkness cried as it caught one of the flames and began to burn.

"Run!" Jack yelled and shoved Gwen in front of him, using the chaos of six people attempting to rescue the box.

"Harkness!" the Darkness roared as his own men stopped him from pursuing the fleeing humans.

He shoved them aside and deftly snatched the box from its fiery demise. Caring not if his scorched his host's hands he opened the box.

Thankfully the scrolls within were unmarked. The Darkness smiled, if only Harkness had opened the other scrolls, then perhaps he would have made sure that they burned.

He had the first part of the weapon to destroy the Light and the next clue as to where the next object was located.

The noise had attracted the Supreme Dalek who appeared out of the shadows and the smoke.

"You require assistance. I detected human life signs in this vicinity."

The Darkness looked down the passageway and then at the box. "No, the humans have escaped me, but I have the co-ordinates for our next destination. We will leave."

"And what of this planet and its inhabitants?"

"Take what you need for conversion. As for the rest and this planet, incinerate."

"I obey!" the Supreme Dalek said.

* * *

Jack ran, not daring to look behind. He was focused only on the figure of Gwen as they dashed out of the destroyed wall of the pyramid and into the safety of the TARDIS.

It was only after they had dematerialised did it occur to Jack that their escape was too easy.

It was only when the TARDIS showed him did he really knew the Darkness had let them go. The screen showed him the planet below start to glow as bomb upon Dalek bomb rained down on it, until it was nothing but a fiery ball.

He watched as the Dalek fleet moved away from the now molten planet and glide away into the darkness of space.

He growled in frustration...the Darkness no doubt knew where he was going next. He could only hope that the TARDIS could get there before them.

Inside the part of his mind that the Doctor had hidden away the Doctor let out a cry of frustration and anguish.

Yet more people had died because of his tardiness and Rassilon knows how many more. His only hope now was that the taking of the scrolls would awaken the Light and it would find a suitable host.

* * *

Ianto sat reading the reports of what had happened whilst he'd been a guest of the Darkness. It made unpleasant reading and he was in two minds as to whether he should read it.

He was about to turn another page when he felt a cool breeze across his neck. He shivered and carried on reading.

He nearly dropped the report when a voice whispered in his ear.

"Ianto...you will come to me, come to my temple...come to the Light."


	9. Chapter 9

Ianto shook his head...he couldn't be losing it, not now? Perhaps he was more tired than he thought. He put the paperwork down and moved over to the small cot that had been provided for him.

He closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds, only to find he was in a place that he didn't want to be.

The corridor was full of smoke and the sounds of battle filled the air. He looked around in confusion...as dreams go this was different.

Then he heard it, that cry that would curdle the blood of even the bravest man.

"Exterminate! Find the Emperor!"

He backed into what he hoped was a safe corner just as three metallic shapes of certain death loomed out of the smoke. They halted, heads swivelling, looking for fresh kill.

Another shape loomed out of the smoke, another Dalek but this one was different. It was a striking red with gold bobbles and if Ianto wasn't seeing things, the other Daleks showed deference to it.

"You will locate the chamber! Find the Emperor!" it shrieked.

The trio of death glided away into the smoke, but the red Dalek did not move.

Ianto froze as it seemed to look in his direction and for a brief second he thought he was Dalek dust.

A noise from the red Daleks left caused it to turn away and it moved off into the smoke and seconds later there was the all too familiar cry of "Exterminate!" and the scream of a person cut short by the sound of a Dalek rake.

Ianto closed his eyes sickened by the fact that he was happy it wasn't himself that had been exterminated. He opened his eyes when he thought he heard familiar voices in the distance.

He knew he should really be running in the opposite direction...even if this was only a nightmare. But he didn't...he was drawn towards the voices.

The smoke began to clear as he moved along the corridor and he found himself in front of an open door.

Then he heard the voices again, and this time he recognised them...it was Jack and the Doctor.

* * *

"Do you think you can destroy me?" the Doctor's voice rang out, slightly muffled by the smoke.

Ianto frowned, although it was the Doctor's voice, it didn't sound right...it sounded. He paled, he knew who it was and it wasn't the Doctor.

"The Light will not accept you as a host. It will destroy you," the voice continued.

"Fine, but at least you'll go with it. All that power in one place. Be pretty explosive and fatal."

That was Jack's voice, he sounded strained and very unhappy.

"Perhaps, shall we see," the Doctor's voice replied. The words were followed by an inarticulate snarl and the sounds of bodies meeting.

Ianto felt it in his feet first, something was rumbling underfoot. Then he saw it, the smoke was becoming filled with light.

He had to turn away as the light became too bright and he felt like his skin was burning. Then his world became white hot and he felt himself burn.

The light flashed even brighter and he expected to find himself in the afterlife, but instead he found himself back in his room...except he wasn't alone.

He blinked, why was there a ghost of an old man standing in front of him?

He moved as far back as he could when the figure reached for him. It stopped a few inches from him and spoke.

"Do not be afraid of me Ianto Jones. The vision you have just seen has yet to happen...the future is not yet set. You must come to my temple...you must accept the Light. You must come, Ianto Jones!"

With that the figure reached out and touched Ianto's head with a ghostly finger and once again burning light filled him and he collapsed into a deep sleep once again.

The ghostly figure started to fade. "You must come, Ianto Jones. You must accept the light and destroy the Darkness."

* * *

Jack and Gwen stepped out of the TARDIS and back into the busy encampment that was the rebel headquarters.

Jack could not risk taking the TARDIS any further, even thought it rumbled in protest.

"I can't old girl. If by some miracle I get him back, he'll never forgive me if I lose you."

The TARDIS rumbled again, a distinct displeased tone to it.

"Don't take that tone with me. You know I'm right. If I can't save him, then you need to be as far away from him as possible. The Darkness will do worse to you than the Master did and he wouldn't want that. So I'm sorry that I have to do what I have to do now," Jack said.

He gestured to someone just out of sight.

A few seconds later Jack felt the static build in the air and suddenly a blue circle of light wrapped itself around the TARDIS.

"I'm sorry, but I can't have you taking off after him and I'm sorry if it hurts."

The TARDIS filled his head with anger and then shut herself off from him in what could only be disgust.

Jack hung his head and turned away.

"You had to do it Jack," Gwen said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Jack, Lissar says he has a surprise for us."

Jack allowed Gwen to lead him away from the unhappy wooden box...would she ever forgive him?

But that was all forgotten when he spied a familiar figure in the distance and his spirits raised.

Ianto found himself with an armful of one happy captain and bore the embrace with what seemed quiet dignity. However, inside he was a turmoil of confusion and if he admitted it...fear.

The nightmare had seemed so real, as had the figure that had appeared in his room. But what disturbed him most was the fact that he had the urge to take one of the fighters and head to...he wasn't sure where but he knew it was somewhere. Why couldn't he see where?

Another hearty slap from Jack shattered his train of thought and he was brought back to reality.

But when they were no longer in the public but were back in his room, the mood changed.

Jack was looking him directly in the eyes, a serious expression on his face. "Did he hurt you?"

"Only my body Jack, not my mind. So don't think about revenge, you'll only hurt the Doctor, not the thing that using his body. But what happened to me isn't important, what's happened since is. The Darkness still has him, doesn't he?"

Jack shook his head. "Yes and no...things have happened Ianto...bad things."

Ianto could see Jack was fighting back unshed tears. "Tell me Jack, tell me everything."

* * *

The Dalek fleet coasted to a stop just outside the planetary system that was home to the rebel base.

The Darkness stood looking out at the inky blackness, his head full of questions. Why had Captain Harkness returned here? Why hadn't he gone straight to next location?

This was something he hadn't expected and that worried him. He thought he knew everything about on Jack Harkness, thought he'd dragged every memory from the Time lord. He could still feel the barrier that stopped him from plundering the darkest secrets of the Time Lord's mind.

But for now his main concern was how long he could keep control of the Dalek forces. He'd seen many things when he'd gained their collective memories.

He'd seen that they would soon depose if they thought he was weak or not of the same mind as them. He knew he could be living on borrowed time...but no matter.

Once he'd destroyed his ancient enemy, he would be all powerful and not even these Daleks would stop him.

He felt the presence of the Supreme Dalek before it even entered the room. It glided up to him and stood beside him.

"I await you orders!" it barked.

"Yes, it seems the good captain is being tardy. Perhaps a little encouragement is needed. Prepare my personal battle cruiser. Let's give the captain a not so gentle reminder."

"I obey!" the Supreme Dalek replied.

The Darkness looked out into the inky blackness once again. He was about to turn away when he felt something...something he hadn't felt for so long.

He smiled to himself...the ancient enemy was stirring; soon the final battle would begin.

* * *

Jack and Gwen stood outside the sleek craft that was going to be their ride.

"Are you sure you two don't want to come?" Jack said to Ianto and Martha, who were standing opposite them.

Ianto shook his head. "I'm not fit enough yet," he said, knowing it was a lie.

"I'm needed here," Martha said.

Jack nodded. "Sure, we'd better get going. I don't know how long a led we have on the Darkness and the Daleks."

With another hug and a not quite tearful farewell they started climbing the ramp...well they were until hell suddenly broke loose.

A deep rumbling filled the air and something appeared through the clouds. All four of them paled, they recognised a Dalek cruiser when they saw it.

"No please, Jack breathed as small but more deadly shapes appeared from within the cruiser and that too familiar shriek filled the air.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"


	10. Chapter 10

"Everybody get to cover!"Jack screamed as the air was filled with metallic death. Once again he was steeling himself against the screams of those cut down by Dalek rakes and letting his soldier side come to the fore.

He winced as another person was engulfed in a green x-ray of death and tensed as the Dalek that had murdered him descended towards him. He set his jaw as the Dalek came eyeball to eyestalk with him, knowing his death would be painful if not permanent.

He stared into the blue glow and dared it to do its worse. He tensed and closed his eyes and waited for the searing pain, but it never came and he opened his eyes.

The Dalek was just hovering, the heat from its propulsion unit causing a heat haze underneath it. The carnage was still going on around them but it was like the whole world was only Jack and the Dalek.

The Dalek suddenly twitched its eyestalk and then rose back into the air flew back towards the slaughter.

Jack blinked...did the Dalek just spare his life?

He didn't have the time think about as a pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him into the fighter.

Gwen was yelling something in his ears but he wasn't listening. His mind was whirling with the sight of the Dalek leaving him alive. His heart hoped it was something to do with the Doctor but his mind knew it was more likely that the Darkness was behind it and Jack knew why.

They were being pushed towards finding the next set of clues and if that meant slaughtering innocents, then that was what the Darkness would do.

Jack shook the thoughts from his head.

Gwen was still yelling at him and he turned his attention to the battle below.

He grabbed hold of the steering column and wheeled the fighter round. As the fighter turned he could see that the others had finally managed to organise some kind of resistance.

Several fighters were wheeling around and firing on the Daleks. Small explosions told Jack that they were being successful, for the moment.

He knew it wouldn't be long before they would adapt but it would give them time to flee...he hoped.

He sent the fighter skimming over the top of the remaining ground troops taking out at least two Daleks.

* * *

"Why the hell aren't they retuning fire?" Gwen yelled as another Dalek disappeared in a fiery ball.

"I don't know!" Jack yelled back. "Major Lissar, can you hear me!"

"Barely Captain!"the reply came.

"You have to retreat, evacuate the base, and leave the planet!"

"But we are winning, they are not returning fire!"

"Not yet, but they will and with extreme prejudice! Now go!"

There was few seconds silence then. "Fine, but I will not leave you undefended!"

"No, if I'm right you won't need to. Call your fighter off Major!"

* * *

Moments later all but Jack and Gwen's fighter left the sky and then Jack knew he was right.

The Daleks followed the retreating fighters and the real slaughter began, but they seemed to ignore the lone fighter.

"What the hell is going on?" Gwen said.

"Bastard, you don't have to do this," he snarled. "Gwen, put in the co-ordinate for the Soltasian Nebula."

"What? We have to stop then, they're slaughtering them!" Gwen said, askance at Jack's words.

"Just do it!" he snarled in reply.

Gwen did as he ordered and wheeled the fighter away from the slaughter.

* * *

Ianto dragged Martha into the relative safety of a pile of crates as Daleks streamed towards the airfield.

He knew he should be out there fighting them but the urge to be somewhere else was overwhelming and something told him he should take Martha with him.

He grabbed hold of Martha and began pulling her towards another fighter, but she dug her heels in.

"What are you doing! People are dying out there! Jack and Gwen could be dead!"

She recoiled when Ianto growled at her and she flinched when she saw something in Ianto's eyes...something that she'd only seen once before.

Ianto's eyes were wild and unfocused and his pupils were flecked not with black but white. But her reaction was the same as it had been when it had been the Doctor...fear.

"Ianto, what's wrong with you?" she shouted and pulled against him.

Her answer was a snarl and a vicious backhander and she fell into darkness.

* * *

The Supreme Dalek turned away from the screen and addressed its Emperor.

"A fighter has left the atmosphere. Life signs register as Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper. We shall pursue!"

"No, let them go!"

He supreme Dalek moved back. "Why?"

"They are necessary, the others are not."

"Another fighter has left the atmosphere!"

"Leave it, follow Captain Harkness."

"The enemy is being exterminated. Do we leave them also?"

That earned him a murderous look from its Emperor. "I don't care, do as you wish!"

The Supreme Dalek turned away from its Emperor, the feeling that it had just escaped its own extermination causing it to quiver inside its casing.

"Take one third for conversion! Exterminate the rest!"

It turned back to its Emperor who was staring at the pulsing red dot that was the fleeing fighter of Captain Harkness.

"I await orders!"

"Contact the fleet, leave one cruiser here and order the rest to rendezvous just beyond the Soltasian Nebula."

"I obey!" the Supreme Dalek replied.

As it glided away the Darkness watched it. Was there an inkling of questioning his authority?

* * *

Inside the little world the Doctor was now trapped in smiled a satisfied smile. The Darkness may think he knew the Daleks, but no-one knew the Daleks better than himself.

He winced mentally as he felt another layer of the wall that protected him peeled away. Soon the Darkness would breach his defences and he would be consumed.

He could only hope that Jack and Gwen found the Light before the Darkness and that the Light had found a host.

He ignored the fear that was gnawing at him and concentrated on strengthening the weak connection he had to the half downloaded data- ghost. He had to help Jack as much as he could.

The Light must be set free and the battle between itself and the Darkness had to happen, no matter the consequences for himself and the Light's host.

He shivered at the thought of what would happen if it did not...feared for the lives of the billions in all the universes if a Dalek Empire ruled by the Darkness prevailed.

The Light must win and the Darkness must be extinguished.


	11. Chapter 11

Martha woke with a start and found herself looking at Ianto's back. She went to move but found she couldn't.

"I would not move, your bonds will only grow tighter the more you struggle," Ianto said in a tone of voice that did and didn't sound like Ianto.

She ignored him and tried to move again and cried out when she felt something bite into her arms.

"I told you not to move. Why do you little mortals never listen?"

Fired up by the fact that whatever had possessed Ianto called her little mortal, she kicked hard at the back of his seat.

"I don't know what the hell you are but you better get the hell out of Ianto's body or you're for it!"

Ianto just laughed. "Little mortal, your threats are like the bite of a small insect. Now hush and you will soon be free of your bonds."

Martha went to speak again but found herself staying quiet, the will to speak suddenly gone. She knew somehow that whatever had taken over Ianto had stopped her talking. She sat back and tried to relax, not really wanting whatever was holding her to tighten any more.

She tried not to move as the fighter suddenly descended and a small thump told her that they had landed.

"Isn't that better?" Ianto suddenly said and turned in his seat. "All that struggling and all it gets you is nothing but pain. Now why don't we talk in a civil manner, without the shouting and the insults?"

Martha glared at him. "I won't talk to the puppet master, only the puppet!" she spat.

The white in Ianto's pupils glowed brightly and a look of annoyance crossed his face. "I would be careful with your words mortal. I only saved you from the enemy because you are useful to me. However, you can quickly become of no use."

* * *

Martha was quiet then, she knew a veiled threat when she heard it. She had the awful feeling that things had just got worse, if that was possible.

She allowed herself to be hauled out of the fighter and only cried out when she was dumped painfully onto the floor. She was about to throw an insult when Ianto collapsed to the floor and there was nothing she could do.

"Ianto!" she cried and tried in vain to loosen her bonds but they just tightened. She let out a scream of frustration and wished for a miracle.

A breeze suddenly lifted her hair and she started to wonder if the dust it picked up contained a hallucinogen...was that the Doctor appearing out of the dust?

She decided it must be a hallucination as the Doctor was almost transparent. It stopped in front of her and crouched down on its haunches.

"Martha Jones, do you know how hard it is to be in three places at once?" the hallucination said. "If you keep struggling, they'll just get tighter. Relax your muscles, it's the only way to break them."

The hallucination stood and moved over to the unconscious Ianto but after a few seconds moved away. "So, the Light has chosen its host."

The hallucination turned back to Martha and the look he gave her almost convinced her that it wasn't a hallucination.

"I'm sorry Martha, sorry that you've been dragged into this. But you have and I can't help you."

The hallucination stopped talking and seemed to look into the distance. "Have to go...Jack needs me. Don't fight the Light Martha," the hallucination said as it faded.

She stared at the spot where the hallucination had been for a few seconds but the groan that told her that Ianto was coming round broke her stare.

It was then that she remembered her bonds and knew she needed to get out of them. Although she believed she'd been hallucinating, she relaxed her muscles and was surprised to find the bonds fall away.

"You may have been a hallucination but thank you," she said and crawled over to Ianto, who was just sitting up.

"Don't move, just sit," she said.

"Martha?" Ianto said and looked round him in confusion. "Where?"

"I don't know," she said as she looked around her. Then she spotted something in the distance and she was pretty sure it wasn't a hallucination. "But I think it has something to do with that."

Ianto looked to where she was pointing and blinked.

* * *

In the distance, shimmering in a heat haze was a building that looked suspiciously like a...

"Is that a?" he said.

"Looks like it," Martha replied.

Ianto pushed himself of the floor and went to move, but was stopped by Martha. He pushed against her.

"We need to go there," and pushed against her.

"No, we have to get back to the base," Martha said, pushing back.

"Get out of my way," Ianto snarled at her and pushed harder and she overbalanced and stumbled away.

She righted herself and stood in his way once again. "No!"

Ianto snarled again and this time he grabbed hold of Martha and pulled her close. "We are going!" he growled and began dragging her.

She tried to resist but he was too strong and she found herself being dragged towards the building and to an uncertain fate.

* * *

Jack and Gwen sat in silence as the fighter sped towards its target. Jack had tried to speak to Gwen but she had snapped "Shut the hell up!"

She was angry at him and he couldn't blame her. They'd left the rebels behind, rebels who were now either dead or turned into Dalek soldiers. But Jack hadn't been given a choice, knowing what he knew.

The Darkness was driving them forwards, using the Daleks as his enforcers.

"You should have stayed," Gwen suddenly said. "You know how to fight those things."

"Gwen, I..." he started to reply but was cut off when the fighter lurched violently and the cockpit filled with red light.

"What the hell!" Gwen yelled as the fighter lurched again.

"It's the Nebula, we're caught in one of its storms!" Jack yelled back and tightened his grip on the steering column as the fighter lurched again.

They looked at each other when the engines stuttered, tried to re-start and then died. They felt the ship starting to fall and both of them stared out of the screen as the fighter began plummeting towards what appeared to be a large asteroid.

Jack tried to wrench the steering column but to no avail, they were going to crash and burn.

The lone Dalek cruiser glided to a halt and hung like a silent predator.

* * *

On the command deck the Supreme Dalek watched its Emperor. It was starting to question the actions of its leader, but it would not voice them. The mutant inside still squirmed when it looked at him and that feeling of fear that was so alien to it flooded through it.

It would watch and wait and if it found that its Emperor was not following the Dalek Imperative, then it would strike.

"Supreme Dalek, how long until the rest of the fleet joins us?"

"Another sixty Rels, there is a storm on the edges of the Nebula. They have to proceed at half-speed."

The Emperor let out a breath. "Very well, inform me when they arrive. I will be in my private chamber."

"I obey!" the Supreme Dalek replied, but it was beginning to listen to that little nagging voice of doubt.

The Darkness entered the chamber that he'd taken as his own. He rubbed absently at his host's temple. He looked in the mirror; he saw not the pale black-veined skin of the hybrid, he saw behind that and staring back at him was the face of the Time Lord and it was mocking him with that sanctimonious smile.

"It won't be long, your time is short. The Light is coming and you know what will happen then," the reflection said to him.

The Darkness snarled and smashed his fist into the mirror, fracturing the reflection.

"Yes, the Light is coming, but I will defeat him and then I will finish you."


	12. Chapter 12

Jack pulled hard on the steering column but to no avail. The fighter was still falling towards the asteroid and its surface was coming closer and closer.

Panic started to set in as death was coming closer...not for him but for Gwen. He let out a cry of frustration and started pulling the steering column again, this time rage giving him extra strength.

"Don't fight it Jack," a voice said in his ear.

Jack ignored it and pulled harder on the column.

"Jack!" the voice shouted and finally cut through his red mist of rage. It was the Doctor's voice. "Don't fight it Jack, go with it."

The Doctor's voice was calm and un-panicked. "The more you pull, the more you get dragged in. Go with it Jack."

All of Jack's instincts and Gwen screamed at him when he let go of the steering column and the fighter carried on diving towards the asteroid.

* * *

Jack closed his eyes as the asteroid loomed large and his ears to Gwen's screams, trusting the voice of the Doctor. He could hear Gwen screaming in his ear, she was dying and it was his fault.

He frowned when she yelled. "I don't believe it, we're pulling up!"

He opened one eye and was faced with a major miracle.

The fighter was pulling steeply away; it was so close to the surface that it kicked dust up as its engines roared into life.

Jack heaved a huge sigh of relief as the asteroid began to retreat from view. "Thank you, Doctor," he whispered.

"Jack," Gwen's voice focused his attention. "Is that where we're supposed to go?"

Jack looked forward and saw what Gwen had already seen.

* * *

It was huge and the only way he could describe it was the mouth of a dragon. The swirling tunnel was a mix of reds and oranges and yellows and it seemed to flicker like the fiery breath of said dragon.

"Please don't tell me we have to go through that?" Gwen said in a hushed voice.

Jack nodded. "Face the Dragon, that's what it said in the scrolls."

"Will it lead to this Light thing?"

"I don't know, but I don't think we have a choice. Look at the scanner."

* * *

The Darkness had scowled when he heard the beep of his com. "I said do not disturb me, Supreme Dalek," he growled.

"Emperor, the fleet approaches. They have made the journey faster than expected. Our scanners have picked up a signal, it is Captain Harkness' fighter. It approaches the mouth of the vortex."

The Darkness smiled. "I will be on the bridge momentarily. Follow him but tell the fleet to remain and guard the vortex."

"I obey!" the Supreme Daleks voice echoed in the chamber.

The Darkness stared back into the shattered and bloodied mirror at the now fragmented reflection of his tormentor.

"Soon Time Lord, soon I shall have all the power I need. I will have my revenge and then this puny little universe you love so much will become a playground for my new Empire."

With that he turned away and ignored the scream of frustration that came from behind the barrier the Time Lord had thrown up to keep his secrets from him.

When he had killed the Light, he would be free and there would be nothing that could stop him.

Behind his still weakening barrier the Doctor let a frustrated scream. He should be out there fighting the Darkness, the Daleks and saving his friends.

But he was trapped and there was only a half-finished data ghost to help them. He let out another cry; this time in anger and fear...fear of what would happen when he was no longer here to defend this universe and those beyond it.

* * *

Ianto dragged Martha across the sand and showed no signs of slowing down in the blistering heat.

He was heading straight for the building that was shimmering in the distance and nothing Martha could do was stopping him. She would have to go wherever he was dragging her.

As she was dragged she thought back to the hallucination of the Doctor that had appeared out of the dust. What had it said, something about the Light finding its host?

She scolded herself silently...she was thinking about what a hallucination had said. She was yanked out of her musing by Ianto stopping when she focused she could see why.

The building had turned from a shimmering heat haze into what could only be described as the biggest mausoleum Martha had seen. She knew it was such by the unmistakable stench of death that wafted into her nostrils...this was a place of the dead.

She dared to speak for the first time in a while. "Why do you need to come here?"

She flinched when Ianto turned and snarled at her. "You will show respect for the dead."

She bit back a retort, the look in Ianto's eyes forewarning of bad things if she didn't.

Ianto for his part turned away from her and reached out for the handle that sat in the middle of a large door.

It opened with the requisite creaking and Ianto stepped in.

Martha hesitated, torn between following and running. She was about to run when she felt an icy breeze on the back of her neck.

"It would be a bad idea to run. This whole planet is a desert and the fighter will only fly for him."

She turned and saw the hallucination...but this time she wasn't sure if it was a hallucination.

Dark brown eyes stared back at her, a serious look etched on its face and the tone of the voice seemed so real...could it be?

"Doctor?"

"No time for chit-chat Martha, follow him. Your part of this now, don't get lost in there. The dead aren't always dead."

She blinked as the figure faded away and with some trepidation at the warning she stepped inside.

The air was cool and she wrinkled her nose as the musty smell of the long dead. She heard faint footsteps in the distance and headed towards them.

After five minutes she was helplessly lost, the one thing she didn't want to be. She stopped to get her bearing, hoping she would hear Ianto's footfalls...but there was nothing.

Then she heard it and she felt the goose-bumps form on her skin

"You do not belong, you will die," a voice whispered in the dark.


	13. Chapter 13

She tried not move, in fact she tried not to breathe as she felt something brush past her in the near dark. Its touch was feather light and could easily be mistaken for cobwebs...except for the whispery voice.

"Why so silent, we only want to talk. It's been so long since we have talked to anyone."

Martha tried not to shiver as she felt a ghostly breath ruffle her hair. Whatever it was, she really didn't want to have a conversation with it.

"Don't be afraid, we only want to be warm. It's so cold in here."

The voice sounded so innocent and inviting, the plaintive tone so mesmerising...if they were cold, perhaps she u help them get warm.

"Talk to us, we are blind, we long to hear your voice," the whisper once again floated in the dark.

Martha found herself moving towards the sound, walking between the sarcophagi without even knowing they were there.

"Yes, come little girl. Talk with us, share your warmth."

Martha stopped as the dark was invaded by the most beautiful light she'd ever seen. It was like the fairy lights she'd so wanted to see when she was a child, looking wistfully out of her window.

The lights danced in front of her and around her and the voices whispered gently in her ear.

"Come away, little girl, come away."

As the lights surrounded her she found herself back in her bedroom, that little girl looking out at the garden and staring in delight when she saw the lights dancing at the bottom of her parent's garden.

She ran down the stairs and using the footstool she reached up and unlocked the back door and ran out into the garden.

"Come away little girl, to a place where rainbows live forever and the sun shines and magic never dies."

She reached out a hand and was about to touch one of the lights when she was dragged violently backwards and Ianto's voice cut through the other voices.

"She's mine!" he hissed at the lights.

Martha shook her head, she was no longer that little girl and the lights were definitely not fairy lights.

The fairies she knew didn't look like that, all teeth and drool. They snapped in frustration as their prey was dragged away.

"Give her to us, she is ours!" they hissed.

"Ish nihal niah!" Ianto snarled.

* * *

Whatever he said it caused the things in front of Martha to recoil and draw back into the shadows, only their hisses of "Ours" echoing in the dark.

Ianto turned to Martha and she could see the glow in his eyes. "Next time I'll let them have you," he said and began pulling her further into the mausoleum.

Martha wondered how far they were going to go when they stopped in front of what seemed to be the largest sarcophagus she'd ever seen.

"Wait here and do not wander off again," Ianto said.

Martha nodded, recognising the not so veiled threat in his voice. She watched as he approached the tomb and ran a hand over the carved stone and wasn't surprised when the stone began to glow under his hand.

"This is my final resting place, for my physical body. For millennia I have been sleeping...waiting to be awakened... waiting for revenge. Soon I will have it, when I return to my temple and take all of my power...vengeance."

There was silence once again as Ianto walked round the tomb and Martha although scared couldn't help herself.

"Revenge on whom?"

"The one who killed me and placed in my prison...my brother, the one you know as the Darkness."

* * *

Jack inhaled sharply as he saw the Dalek cruiser behind them and frowned. "Why aren't they attacking, we're sitting ducks?"

Gwen said nothing at first but a few seconds spoke. "They won't, because they need us...well he needs us, the Darkness. Think about Jack, the Darkness wants something and that something must be this Light thing. Perhaps he can't do it himself...perhaps those traps in that pyramid weren't meant for us...but for him."

Jack nodded, Gwen's words confirming what he thought. "And we're the ones springing the traps."

Gwen laughed humourlessly. "Yeah, and he just waltzes in with his new bully boys and takes the prize. Well I'm not playing his game anymore."

Gwen pressed her com. "I know you can hear me you twisted bastard. I'm not playing this game anymore!"

There was silence and for a moment Jack thought they couldn't hear Gwen and was about to pray that they didn't, when the com hissed into life.

"Is that so Gwen Cooper? Aren't we the brave one? And what about you Jack Harkness, are you saying no too?"

The voice that sounded so familiar but with that unfamiliar and unsettling tone to it spoke in Jack's ear.

"What if I do say no?"

"Oh, you're really not aware of the rules...no, wait a minute, I never told you the rules did I? How remiss of me. Well here's the only rule, any disobedience will be punished. Observe."

The screen in front of Jack flickered and a planet appeared on the screen.

"Do you recognise that planet, Captain?"

"That's Signa Prime."

"Well done, and how many people live on Signa Prime?"

"Five billion," Jack replied, a feeling of dread welling in his guts.

There was silence and Jack watched the screen in silent horror as the planet began to glow and without warning exploded in violent destruction.

"Not anymore. Like I said, disobedience will be punished. Is that understood Gwen Cooper and Jack Harkness?"

Jack could hear Gwen stifling a sob and he reined back his temper. "Understood," he ground out.

"Wonderful, then we understand each other. Now I will give you a head start, after all I am nothing if not a good sport."

* * *

The Dalek cruiser turned away and the Supreme Dalek watched as the small fighter disappeared from view. This did not seem logical to it, what was his Emperor doing?

It turned to its Emperor and made a fatal mistake. "Why did you let them go?"

Seconds later the mutant inside was screaming in agony and its Emperor's voice filled its head.

"You do not question me. Take it away and dispose of it."

"We obey!" a chorus of Dalek voices answered.

The Darkness turned to his six constant companions. He pointed to one.

"You will become the Supreme Dalek. I think we have given the good captain enough time. It is time, ready the army and prepare my personal squadron. When I return we will take this sorry excuse for a universe and burn it!"

"We obey!"

Orders were relayed across the cruiser and to the waiting fleet and in the bowels of each cruiser the new race of Dalek hybrids and the myriad Daleks chorused.

"We obey!"


	14. Chapter 14

Martha didn't have time to say anything in reply to those words because Ianto let out a cry of frustration.

"No...No...No! It's not here!" as he reappeared from behind the sarcophagus. H ran his hand over the carved surface again and once again it glowed.

He walked round the other side again and once again let out a cry of frustration. "It should be, why isn't here...unless."

Ianto went to his knees and began tracing a hand over a set of symbols and seconds later let out a hiss of annoyance.

"Superstitious barbarians, they moved my remains...aagh! Where did they...?

He stopped talking and an expression of realisation crossed. "We must get to my temple, before my brother."

Martha was expecting to be dragged back to the fighter, but instead she was pulled further into the darkness of the mausoleum until they came to what looked a square of light in the centre of pitch darkness.

"Stand still," was all Ianto hissed at her before she was blinded by white hot light.

* * *

Jack tried to put the image of the now destroyed planet out of his mind as the fighter entered the swirling vortex. He knew that the Darkness wouldn't give them any head start...he could tell by the tone of the voice ...dear god, he was beginning to read the Darkness like he did the Doctor.

He shook the thought away, he couldn't, wouldn't start seeing the Darkness as a person. That would mean admitting defeat and that meant he had lost the Doctor and he wasn't having that.

He conjured up an image of the Doctor, one without the defiling features of the Dalek DNA. He pictured him leaning against the TARDIS in that nonchalant 'look at me' way and the spark of amusement in his eyes when someone looked at him with wonder, when he spouted what Jack knew was utter rubbish.

That was the Doctor he wanted back...the Doctor he loved.

His reverie was interrupted by Gwen.

"Jack, I think we're coming out of it."

He blinked and looked through the small window; they were exiting the Vortex and up ahead there was a solitary planet.

"Is this where the Light is?" Gwen asked.

Jack shook his head. "I don't know, but it looks like it's the only place we can land." He replied and aimed the fighter at the planet.

As the fighter disappeared into the planet's atmosphere, half a dozen deadly shapes appeared out of the vortex and made their own way into the atmosphere.

* * *

Martha shut her eyes against the brightness and the heat of the light and clung onto Ianto as she felt the floor of the mausoleum disappear under her feet. For a few seconds she felt like she'd winked out of existence and kept her eyes tightly shut.

She only opened them again when she felt ground under her feet and Ianto moved away from her.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting. When he'd said temple she'd been expecting to be inside a marble edifice with statues and whatever else you found in a temple.

Instead she found herself on yet another desert world.

"Come," was all Ianto said and began walking, and this time Martha didn't hesitate in following him.

She had the feeling that wherever they were this was going to be the place where it would all come together. She tried to calm the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach...she would need all of her nerve for whatever lay ahead.

* * *

The Darkness stepped out of his fighter onto the sand. He let out a long breath and crouched down.

He grabbed a handful of sand and let it trickle through his fingers...he was home...well what was left of it.

He straightened and sniffed the air... he was here, they were all here.

"So, it begins," he said softly and began walking towards a large dune, followed by the other hybrids he'd chosen.

* * *

Jack helped Gwen over the ridge of the dune and looked out in the vast expanse of the desert.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Gwen said as she looked at the same vista.

Jack had to admit that he didn't, .not a clue. It was now he needed the Doctor, needed that 'follow me, I know where I'm' swagger.

He waited for that chill breeze on his neck but it wasn't forthcoming...well so he thought.

"Jack, look!" Gwen exclaimed. She was pointing towards a distant dune.

Standing on top was the unmistakeable form of the Doctor, but it shimmered in the sun, like the ghost it was.

"I think we go that way," Jack said and began walking down the dune, never taking his eyes of the figure ahead.

By the time they'd approached the dune, the ghostly form of the Doctor had gone. Jack grabbed hold of Gwen's hand and began pulling her up the dune.

They breasted it and stopped, unsure of what they were seeing.

"Is that what I think it is?" Gwen spoke first.

"This is getting more like Indiana Jones every minute. Come on," he said to Gwen and began the descent to the impossible thing in the distance.

* * *

Martha tried not to stumble as Ianto pulled onto the ridge of the dune, but she forgot about her balance when saw what lay in the distance.

"You have got to be kidding me," she breathed.

"My home Martha Jones and beyond that the temple," Ianto said.

Martha tried to take in what was in front of her, but it seemed way too much like something out of one of those biblical films they stuck on every Easter.

She didn't resist when Ianto pulled her down after him and they began the climb down.

* * *

The Darkness stood looking at the scene below, a look of contempt on his face. "You always did favour him," he snarled.

Without another word he moved down the dune, closely followed by his soldiers.

* * *

Jack and Gwen walked through street after street of abandoned buildings. They'd looked in the first few but they were all the same...all were empty but with the appearance of being occupied.

"Something happened here, it must have." Jack said.

"It must have been quick and sudden, they left everything," Gwen said as they approached what looked like a market place.

It was then same as the houses, no people but the signs of life still evident.

Jack looked round and then in the direction of the two large buildings and then up at the sky.

"It's getting dark. We won't make those building in time. We'll shelter in one of the houses until daybreak."

"Yeah, I don't want to meet what made these people run," replied.

They found the nearest house and closed the door, placing a chair against it. Jack lit the fire and stared out of the window.

The sun was already dropping below the deserted city and he had the feeling it was going to be a long night.

* * *

Martha was glad of the shelter of the small room Ianto had let her have. Night had fallen quickly and she'd been hurried into the nearest house.

She watched as Ianto stood by the window...was the thing inside nervous?

* * *

The Darkness stood on a small rise, watching the sun dip below the horizon.

He knew what was loose in the city in the dark...after all he'd created them. He knew it wouldn't kill his brother but it would be fun watching Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper being hunted down and torn to pieces.

With a small movement of his head, the small group followed him as he entered the city.

In the distance, things stirred and the howling began.


	15. Chapter 15

Martha shivered again as the howling echoed down the deserted street. She moved closer to wall for some sort of comfort.

She realised now it had been foolish to leave the relative shelter of the house, but she had to find out what was in the building Ianto had called his temple.

There might be something inside that could help rid Ianto and the Doctor of the things possessing them.

Now she was stuck, too scared to move but also too scared to stay where she was.

The city had been silent when she stepped out but now it echoed with nerve-shredding howls. Had she jumped from the frying pan that was the thing that inhabited Ianto in to a fire that may have teeth?

She repressed a shiver as the howls came closer and she flattened against the wall when she heard what sounded like the padding of very large paws.

* * *

Gwen looked up once again when another howl filled the room. "That sounds way too much like wolves," she said as she moved closer to the fire.

Jack nodded and added another piece of furniture to the blaze. "You wish it was only wolves, I don't think it's something that benign. I think we're in his territory now, I get the feeling this is where it's going to kick-off."

Gwen looked into the fire. "You think the Light is here?"

"Yeah, up in that building on the hill. Kind of looks like a temple to me."

Gwen nodded. "It does, yeah, and you think this Light thing can destroy the Darkness?"

Jack looked at her, his eyes full of fear and hope. "I have to believe it, why would the Doctor lie?"

As if on cue the flames of the fire fluttered in sudden breeze and both of them knew what it meant.

They turned from the fire to find the ghostly form of the Doctor standing by the doorway.

"This is the place Jack, its name has been lost, known only to those that kept its secrets. You don't need to know it, it's safer if you don't. But you need to go to the temple."

"With whatever's out there, I don' think so," Gwen said.

The Doctor looked at Gwen. "I'm sorry, but you have to. Stay here and you won't survive the night. You have to, whatever the consequences."

The Doctor suddenly looked towards the door and was that fear that crossed his face.

"I have to go now Jack. Go to the temple, it's the only way to save..."

The Doctor faded away before he could finish and the room felt decidedly cold.

Jack looked at Gwen, who nodded back silently.

The fire hissed as Jack poured water onto it and they stepped out into the street and the howls seemed to increase as they did.

They looked up at the silhouette of the building in the distance and began moving towards it...towards the howls.

* * *

The Light had hissed his annoyance when he noticed the human female had disappeared, but his concern was fleeting.

His mind was now filled with thoughts of his murderous brother and reaching his own power source before he did.

"I have waited a long time," his hissed and began striding towards his temple.

* * *

The Darkness stopped just short of the road that led to the temple. He took in a deep breath and the distinct smell of a certain someone filled his nostrils.

"You will wait here," he growled at his soldiers.

Without looking back, the Darkness carried on, only one thing on his mind, getting to his brother temple before him.

He ignored the howls of his creations but stopped when he heard the high pitched scream of a woman.

He stopped and listened again. He smiled...his pets would feed well this night.

* * *

Jack skidded to a halt when he heard the scuff of claws against dirt...things had rapidly gone downhill.

They'd only gone two streets when what looked a huge shadow had emerged from behind a wall. It was had been closely followed by another and then another.

They had ran, but despite Jack's efforts they'd become separated.

He held his breath as the shadows drew level with his hiding place.

The stench was almost unbearable and it took all of his concentration to stop his himself throwing up. He had to find Gwen.

It was then that he heard it, a woman's scream...Gwen!

Ignoring the chance that whatever the shadows were would see him he sprinted in the direction of the scream.

As he ran he could hear the sounds of claws on dirt behind him and what sounded like the breath of something large. He forced the sound to the back of his mind and concentrated on the screams that were still echoing around the street.

He careered round the corner and skidded to halt...it wasn't Gwen who was pressed against the wall, it was Martha.

His attention was taken from Martha and was drawn to the thing that was directly in front of her.

It was huge and looked like a black shadow, but he swore he could see the outline of jaws and talons.

Martha's scream and the roar of the shadow-beast pierced the almost hypnotic effect it had on him and he came back to reality with alarming clarity.

With an enraged snarl he drew his blade and ran.


	16. Chapter 16

Martha couldn't stop the scream as the shadow thing took a pace forward. She'd almost been sick when it had breathed over her.

She let out another scream as it moved again, this time showing her all too real fangs in a jaw wide enough to swallow her whole.

She thought she heard the sound of someone running but if they were footsteps they were drowned out by the roar of the shadow-beast.

She tried to scream again but her throat was paralysed as she realised she was going to be eaten alive. She wanted to close her eyes but fear kept them open.

A blur of colour caught her eye and then chaos fell...

The shadow- beast lurched suddenly and staggered to one side, its roar of triumph turning to a yowl of pain.

It bent itself almost in half trying to reach the source of its pain, but it had danced away. It uncurled itself and looked round, then saw the source of its pain.

With a roar of anger and pain it turned its attention from its next meal and went for the new source.

It never reached it as more pain seared through it.

It whipped round, there was another causing it pain. It couldn't decide which to tackle first, so it decided on neither and went back to its prey.

That was its mistake as it was attacked from both sides and as it collapsed to the floor it felt its life force leaving it.

It let out a long howl before it breathed its last and its heart stopped.

* * *

Martha looked at the body of the thing and then at her saviours. She blinked, it couldn't be?

"Martha!" two voices said in union and both Gwen and Jack came into her vision.

She let out a sob of relief and would have fallen on her face if Jack hadn't caught her.

Jack gently laid her on the floor and then looked up at Gwen.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"Me, never. I followed the screaming. If there's screaming I know you've got to be there," Gwen said. "Is she okay?"

Jack looked down at Martha, who had chosen to blackout.

"Yeah, scared, but who would be."

Gwen looked over at the body of the creature. "What the hell was that thing?"

"I'm guessing it's what made everybody leave," Jack said. "More importantly, what is Martha doing here?"

Before Gwen had chance to answer another sound echoed through the deserted building.

They both looked in the direction of the sound and flinched when the night sky was brightened by what looked like lightning.

* * *

The Light stood at the bottom of the steps that lead to his temple. He could feel the power that was his, could feel the pull of it.

He began climbing the steps when a lightning flashed and hit the steps above him.

"Going somewhere, brother?" a voice he hadn't heard in millennia snarled.

The Light turned and there stood his brother, static and light arcing from his hands.

"Hello brother," the Light said and raised his own hands and electricity began to spark between them.

"It's been a while," the Darkness said casually as he cautiously moved one step up.

"Yes, but then again, how long does it take to remove the blood from your hand?" the Light said.

"I see you've chosen a human host. What couldn't find a better one?"

"It will suffice. But you took the body of a Time Lord, the last Time Lord. That brother would be enough to have you executed. You know the rules, no higher beings."

"Ah well, that would be true, if there were any of us left to enforce the rules. But alas, there is only me. I guess you could add genocide to my crimes. You know, it took a long time for our father to die."

The Light narrowed his eyes. "Then you leave me no choice. I will have to be the executioner."

"Then do it, if you can," the Darkness snarled and raised his hand.

* * *

Jack and Gwen carried Martha to the safety of a nearby building.

"That doesn't sound like a thunder storm," Gwen said.

"No, it doesn't," Jack replied. "Stay here, look after Martha." He said and moved back into the street.

He moved slowly towards the flashes of lightning and stopped behind a wall and peered over the top.

He couldn't believe the scene in front of him...it was like something out of Greek Mythology.

There were two gods battling it out and one was the Doctor and the other was...Ianto!


	17. Chapter 17

The air around the two protagonists sparked and crackled as they grappled with each other and the stench of ozone filled Jack's nostrils.

He was frozen with indecision...who should he tackle first?

Blue light filled the air as the two suddenly broke apart, forced to retreat against the power of each other.

The Darkness stumbled back, taking a few steps to get his balance; he'd forgotten how powerful his brother was, even without his full powers.

He blinked away the static that fizzed across his body and straightened. "So, you do remember how to fight...good... no holds barred then," he snarled and launched himself at his brother again.

* * *

The Light knew he had to finish this and finish it soon. He knew he didn't have the power to destroy his brother, not yet. He had to get to his temple, he needed the rest of his powers to sustain this body; it was too frail to take the punishment.

He knew from the memories of this human that the Time Lord was the last of his kind, but he did not look like the Time Lords that the Light had known. There was something not quite right, something unnatural...but it was something that would have to wait.

First he had to get past his brother and into the temple.

He heard the snarled words of his brother and braced himself for the attack.

* * *

Jack warred with himself...who should he tackle first? If he could do anything at all, how did you take down two gods, if that's what they were?

He winced as his two friends clashed again, the sound of flesh against flesh nearly drowned out by the sparks that flew as they tried to get a grip on each other's heads.

If he didn't interfere would one of them die amongst this deserted city? What if they both died, how would he live with that?

He made a decision and moved but came to a sudden halt and when the Darkness... no it sounded like the Doctor screamed and started falling.

* * *

The Light watched his brother fall to the floor. It had been a stroke of luck when the human had appeared from behind the wall.

It had distracted his brother for some reason. It was only for a second, but it was enough and he pushed his attack.

He clamped his hands around his brother's head and began filling it with his own energy. He felt the desire to kill him rise and found he didn't want to resist it.

Then he felt it...the spark of something else...the Time Lord, he was still alive!

The Light cast his mind further in and saw something else. No wonder there was something off kilter about the Time Lord's appearance. For a fleeting second he wondered how in the universes the Time Lord had let himself be perverted by what were the scourge and pariahs of this universe.

Then he saw why, he felt the darkness in the Time Lord's mind...the hole left by his destruction of his own people.

The Light saw this in the seconds it took to overwhelm his brother's essence. He could have killed his brother then but the fact the there still a spark of the Time Lord left. He would have to revert a more complicated and much more painful way.

Yes, he wanted his brother dead, but unlike his brother he wouldn't do anything to attain his goal.

He didn't care about the tiny mortals that inhabited this universe...he had his own plans for them and for that he needed the Time Lord alive.

Yes, he feigned indignancy at his brother's possession of him, but that was only because he got there first.

But that would have to wait, he needed his full power for that, and for that he needed to get to his temple.

He also needed his brother to remain incapacitated and for that he would have to cause the already tortured Time Lord more pain.

With a mental apology to the Time Lord and in the hope that he would hear it he sent a huge wave of power against his brother.

He heard the Time Lord's scream as the pain seared through his body and let go, hoping that the Time Lord would be injured in the fall.

The Light turned away not paying any attention to the tiny human he descended, climbed the remaining steps and disappeared inside the building.

* * *

Jack watched in paralysing horror as the Doctor began falling. The scream had ripped through him...it was a scream of pure agony and Jack wished it had been the Darkness in pain.

It was only when the Doctor's body hit the stone steps with a thud did Jack's muscles agree to move.

He covered the distance between himself and the Doctor on seconds and he panicked when he saw blood in the Doctor's hair. With a wildly beating heart he checked the Doctor's ears; the blood wasn't coming from there.

He found the source as his hand touched a sticky patch at the back of the Doctor's head.

"Doctor?" he said, hoping his voice would rouse the Time Lord.

He was rewarded with a low moan, but he moved slightly back, wary of it still being the Darkness.

It was only when pain filled brown eyes opened and stared at him did Jack relax a little.

"Jack?" the Doctor moaned.

Jack was back at his side instantly and looking intently into the Doctor's eyes...it was really him.

"Jack, where...?" the Doctor said and tried to sit up.

"Whoa Doc," Jack said and helped him to sit up.

"What...?" the Doctor began but was cut off by Jack.

"Not now Doc, let's get you out of here."

So intent on getting the Doctor away that he never noticed the oily black colour begin to cloud the Doctor's eyes.

"Jack, we have to stop," the Doctor said and would have fallen but for Jack's grip on him when he legs gave way.

* * *

Gwen looked up when she heard someone coming. She'd managed to place Martha against the wall and had sat with her, flinching when the cracks of lightning had split the air.

She was relieved and surprised to see Jack...relieved to see Jack but surprised to see him carrying the Doctor.

She was instantly cautious. "Jack, what's going on?"

"No time to explain. I have to go back to that building. Whatever that Light thing is, it's using Ianto. Look after them, please."

Gwen nodded and could do nothing but watch as Jack disappeared into the night.

She turned back towards the Doctor and let out of a startled cry.

The Doctor was standing right behind her, his eyes closed.

"Doctor, are you alright?"

As the Doctor opened his eyes Gwen tried to step back, but she was grabbed by a strong hand.

"Gwen Cooper, it's been a while," and obsidian eyes stared back at her.


	18. Chapter 18

Jack entered the building, every sense on overdrive, expecting an attack from any angle. He was surprised to find that the inside did indeed look like a temple.

The walls were covered in painting that seemed as fresh as the day they were painted. What looked like large stands of gold held flickering candles...probably kept alight by whatever kept the torches alight he'd used in the pyramid.

He refused to view the things that possessed the Doctor and Ianto as gods, but he supposed to a less educated society someone with the powers these two had, they would be gods.

To him they were parasites, ones he wanted to eradicate. The only thing that puzzled him was why the Doctor had asked him to try and find the one he called the Light? Why would the Doctor want something that might be as bad as the Darkness on the loose?

He mentally shrugged, that would have to wait; he had to find Ianto.

* * *

The Light walked across the marble floor, the torches just ahead of him lighting as he approached. Once he had his full power he would raise his own army and then his brother and the inhabitants of this universe would know a new master.

He stopped for a second as he felt his brother once more; his time was limited. He increased his pace and stopped by what looked an innocuous looking panel. He closed and a few seconds later the grating sounding of levers moving filled the air.

The Light stood back and watched as the wall in front of him started to slide sideways and the light in the room became brighter, much brighter.

With a sigh, the Light stepped into the light that was emanating from inside and the light began to glow even brighter.

* * *

Gwen didn't feel fear when she looked into eyes of the Darkness; she felt only rage.

"You won't do to me what you did to my Rhys!" she spat.

The Darkness smiled. "Oh yes, that was rather spectacular. Quite ingenious, don't you think? However, I have other plans for you and Miss Jones."

The smile he gave Gwen made her skin crawl and she closed her eyes when he reached for her.

When his touch didn't come she opened her eyes.

The Darkness had moved away from her and a few seconds later she knew why.

The ground under her feet suddenly shifted and both she and the Darkness stumbled. She looked over at the Darkness and saw something she never expected...fear.

"No...not possible."

His expression of fear turned to anger. "Fine, if that's how he wants to play it, then so be it."

He straightened and spread out his arms.

Gwen could feel the static as it built in the air and she looked up at the sky when she heard a rumble of thunder.

The crack of lighting that followed caused her to cover her ears and then she saw it...it was the Vortex!

"Supreme Dalek, bring the fleet through. Prepare for war!"


	19. Chapter 19

The Light could feel the energy pouring into the human it was using as a host, making it stronger, faster; less fragile.

Now he could sense his soldiers, still deep in their forced sleep, but not for much longer. Soon, within minutes he would have his full power and his army would rise and then he could make war against his brother.

Already he could sense his army, buried deep beneath the city, awaiting his return. He could also sense something, just on the edge of this host's consciousness...his brother had an army too and it was closing.

No time to wait then, his army would have to awaken...now.

He reached out with his mind and found the thing he wanted. He could sense more than feel the ground shift beneath him.

His army was awakening.

* * *

Jack fell against a statue of something with too many arms and too many teeth as the ground beneath him shifted again...was it an earthquake?

His looked in the direction that Ianto had gone and then back at the entrance to the temple. His mind said he should leave the temple before it collapsed on him, but his heart wanted to try and save Ianto.

When the whole building shook, his mind took over and forced him to run for the entrance. As he flew down the steps the ground began to shift again, only this time it didn't stop. He lost his balance and tumbled down the last remaining steps.

He didn't have the time to regain his balance before the buildings in front of him began to collapse...the ground was caving in.

He crouched low to the ground, panic about the safety of Gwen, Martha and the Doctor warring against his fear about Ianto.

He began to make his way across the still unsteady floor when a low rumble filled the air and if he could believe his ears...the sound of marching feet!

* * *

The Darkness finally managed to regain his balance, now that the ground had stopped moving.

He looked up at the sky at the vortex that hung the city like its namesake...a very hungry dragon. He could sense the approach of the Dalek fleet, it would be here soon; but then again, so would his brother's army.

For a fleeting second he wondered how the Daleks would fair against his brother's forces. It would be an interesting battle, but one he intended to win.

He ignored the two human females and gathering his strength he began to rise off the ground. He needed to see what army his brother was raising.

He soared above the city and towards his brother's temple.

He stopped...the temple and the building surrounding it had disappeared and appearing out of the crater came the things that had defeated his old army...the ones he feared the most.

The Immortals of Shain!

There was a crack of thunder and the Darkness looked up.

Out of the Vortex shapes began to stream...the Daleks had arrived.

An unearthly howl filled the air as the Immortals spotted the Daleks and the sound of a myriad weapons being raised filled the air and mingled with the metallic screams of 'Exterminate!'

The Darkness scanned the ground beneath before calling. "Where are you brother...let us finish this!"


	20. Chapter 20

Jack blinked, unsure of what he was seeing.

Emerging from the huge crater were soldiers, but they were like no soldiers he'd seen...they weren't even human. In fact, they looked exactly like the statue he'd fallen against inside the temple.

He moved behind a wall, not wanting to be discovered and watched as whatever they were began swarming out of the crater.

They were at least seven foot and their multiple arms carried weapons of a design he didn't recognise and he was pretty sure those teeth could do anything serious damage.

He was so engrossed in watching the growing numbers that the crack of thunder caused him to jump. He looked up and stopped breathing...the Vortex; it was right above the city.

What came next chilled his blood as the air was filled with a familiar and unwelcome screeching. He had to clamp his hands over his ears as a deafening howl came from the massed ranks of warriors on the ground.

His heart quickened despite the fear that was coursing through him...war was coming and the soldier part of him was thrilled and the more human side of him was horrified. He pushed the soldier side of him down...he had to find the others.

He moved away from the wall and turned down a side street. In doing so he missed the figure that rose into the air and the howls and cries of the two armies masked the challenge that came from the figure.

His only concern was to find the others and then find Ianto; he could only pray that the Doctor was still the Doctor and not the Darkness.

* * *

Gwen watched the Darkness rise into the air. Her hand instinctively went to her sidearm...she could do it now, whilst he was distracted, end it now.

The Darkness maybe immortal but its host wasn't...a well aimed bullet, right in the middle of the chest would shatter the Doctor's hearts; a death there was no coming back from.

Could she do it? Could she risk losing Jack as her friend, if she killed the one thing he loved more than anything?

Then the image of the ruined body of Rhys came into her mind and the way the Darkness had laughed at her distress. Her mouth tightened and drew her sidearm and raised her arm...only to be stopped.

Martha had come to when the ground had begun to shake and it had taken her some time to clear the muzziness from her head. When she did, she saw two things...the Darkness rising into the air and Gwen aiming her gun at him.

With supreme effort she pulled herself up and clamped a hand on Gwen's arm. She spoke softly, unable to raise her voice.

"No Gwen, you can't, it's not your choice to make. I know you want to, but it's the thing inside that's caused all the pain, all the heartbreak, not the Doctor. Killing him may make it stop but it won't make it better...Gwen please, put the gun down."


	21. Chapter 21

The Light heard the howls of his army and heard the metallic replies of his brother's forces. He smiled; the battle would be very interesting.

But his main interest was in removing his brother from the Time Lord's body and transferring from this human shell to him...then he could show his real colours.

He emerged from the room into the ruined temple and strode over the fallen columns and statues. He'd only gone down a few steps when he heard his brothers' challenge.

With a snarl he leapt down the last of the steps and forced his way through his rapidly increasing forces.

He looked up and saw the metallic forms descending. "Kill them all, let not one escape."

With that he did not look back but rose off the ground and went in search of his brother.

* * *

The Darkness hadn't been expecting the Immortals and it had shocked him. That meant his brother had his full powers, so it would be an even match between them now...it would certainly be to the death.

He would make sure the death of his brother's host was slow and painful and then he would take his brother's powers and he would be unstoppable. Then he would see if he could finally kill off the rest of the Time Lord's consciousness; but first he would let him watch as he killed Captain Harkness and made sure he stayed dead.

"Descend and exterminate!" he snarled and after that ignored them and went in search of his brother. He never saw the figure below him lower her gun.

* * *

Gwen heard Martha's voice on the edges of the rage that was flowing through and it cut through the red mist like a shaft of pure light.

She was right, it wasn't her place to kill the Doctor...it was Jack's, if it was anyone's at all. She watched the Darkness rise further into the sky and her arm dropped and she let the gun fall to the floor.

Then she heard it, two of the most blood chilling sounds she'd ever heard...the metallic shrieks of the Daleks and another sound, the howl of something inhuman.

"Martha, I think we better move," she said as the skies above filled with metallic death.

She helped Martha to her feet and headed for the relative shelter of one of the houses as the sound of marching filled the air.

She placed Martha against the wall and returned to the only window and peered out of it and nearly recoiled.

She'd seen aliens before and wasn't easily cowed, but whatever these things were they emanated something that made her skin crawl, even more than the Daleks.

She ducked down when one of them turned its head and she hoped it hadn't seen her, but the sounds of claws outside the window told her it had seen her.

She held her breath as the creature stopped outside and she tried not to gag as it let out a breath that stank of decay and death.

She did jump when it stuck its head through the window; it didn't look down but looked to its left to where she'd left Martha.

It let out a growl that attracted the attention of one of its fellows who it seemed to defer to.

It growled at the other one who with hardly any effort kicked the door in.

Gwen and Martha let out cries of alarm as it burst through the door, its bulk filling the room and the stench was overpowering as it let out a snarl.

Gwen expected it to turn and sink its claws into her. She was surprised when it backed out of the building and the sounds coming from outside told Gwen that something was being fatally reprimanded for diverting from whatever target they were intent on.

She hurried over to Martha and pulled her close, closing her ears to the sound of something being ripped apart and thanked God that whatever they were thought they were unimportant.

As the noise died away she spoke softly to Martha. "We have to find Jack, are you up to moving?"

Martha nodded. "There's nothing we can do, is there?"

Gwen gave her a sad smile. "No, I don't think there is. Whichever one wins, Jack is going to have to stop them."

"Then we need to be there for him," Martha replied. "I just hope he's okay."

* * *

Jack had just seen something that he thought he would never see and his mind was still reeling from it.

He'd watched from his hiding place as a lone Dalek had swooped down on one of the whatever they were.

He was sure the thing was dead as a rake of laser hit it square on.

Jack was expecting the thing to fall down dead and then he blinked in surprise and he wondered if the Dalek had blinked too.

Instead of falling under the laser fire, the creature let out a howl and then snarled in what sounded like irritation.

With a blood-chilling howl it launched itself at the offending Dalek; talons outstretched and as it reached it, a set of razor sharp claws raked across its undercarriage.

The Dalek actually shuddered and then sparks began to pour from underneath it.

"Emergency! Emergency! Unable to elevate!" it screeched as it fell to the ground and disappeared under a mass of claws and teeth.

Jack couldn't stop himself from smiling; a feral smile...the Daleks may have just met their match!

He knew that it wouldn't be one sided and to prove his point two Daleks fired on one of the creatures and it writhed in agony.

H couldn't stay and watch...he had to find the Doctor and Ianto.

He had to either save them or kill them both.


	22. Chapter 22

The sounds of the battle would have cowed any soldier, the metallic shrieks of the Daleks and the howls, snarls and screams of the Immortals.

The Darkness however took no notice as he forced his way through the melee, followed closely by his chosen bodyguards.

An immortal charged at him but it never reached him as it was engulfed in fire...these creatures were not immune to the power the Darkness, but he did not have the power to destroy an whole army...not yet, but he knew where he could get it.

He began to turn a slow curve to the east, not wanting his brother to know where he was heading.

There was power greater that his or his brothers, one that had been locked long before he and his brother came into existence, one that could destroy him and his brother, the Immortals and anyone who got in his ways.

But he had the advantage: he had the Time Lord. True he may have to sacrifice something, the power he wielded over the Daleks, they would have to be sacrificed but it would be worth it if he could control the power that lay beneath this planet. He knew it would never accept him, but the Time Lord was another matter and he knew he would be able to control the Time Lord and with it the power.

He did however have one problem...he needed another host. Thoughts sped through his mind and then he knew where he would find a host and the thought of it gave him thoughts that he hadn't had for a long time.

* * *

Jack had been forced to keep the rooftops and it was slowing him down; there were too many things to do and not enough time to do it.

He desperately wanted to stop the terminal fight he knew was going to happen between the two people he would never want to choose between. He was also desperate to find Gwen and Martha, get them somewhere safe.

He jumped from the roof of a small out building and was about to move on when he felt it...the overwhelming desire to go east.

He ignored it and turned towards the battle only to find a familiar ghostly figure blocking his way.

"No Jack, you have to go east," the ghostly figure said, holding out a translucent hand.

Jack stopped then, wary that this wasn't a trick of the Darkness. He kept walking towards the battle sounds but found his way barred again by the ghostly figure.

"No Jack, east," it said.

This time he stopped, the look on the figures face made his stomach flutter, it was guilt mixed with sadness.

"Doctor?" Jack queried and stepped closer and was he imagining it or were there tears glistening on the ghostly features?

The figure let out a long shuddering breath and said three words that always made Jack's blood freeze.

"I was wrong."


	23. Chapter 23

Gwen cautiously looked round the corner of the building, wary of being seen by either the creatures that defied description or the Daleks which now roamed what was now a battle field.

She hated leaving Martha but she still seemed exhausted, so she had left her in what she hoped was a safe place. She moved carefully round the corner of the building, knowing that she was getting closer to the battle, but getting closer to Jack.

She heard a shuffle of feet and froze, trying to blend in with the shadows. Three figures appeared from behind the remains of a house and she shrunk further back into the shadow...they were Dalek hybrids.

She sighed with relief when they turned away from her, but then she had an awful thought...if they were there, then... Martha!

* * *

Martha knew she should be with Gwen, but her legs didn't want to co-operate, she shouldn't feel this tired.

She closed hers and opened them a few seconds later when a voice whispered in her ear.

"Martha, Martha Jones."

She frowned, that sounded like the Doctor...but it couldn't be?

"Help me Martha, please," the voice became stronger and more urgent sounding.

She blinked then frowned...they'd lost the Doctor whilst escaping, hadn't they?

Then the voice whispered again and this time she didn't hesitate.

"Find me Martha, save me Martha Jones."

She pushed herself up and moved away from the safety of the building and towards the shadows.

She'd only gone a few steps when she realised she'd been deceived. The shadow that emerged in front of her was indeed the Doctor, but the voice spoke to her definitely wasn't.

"Martha Jones, how nice of you to be so prompt," the Darkness said and reached for her.

Time slowed down for her as she was dragged back into the shadows and she couldn't repress a shudder as she felt hot breath on her neck.

"Oh, not this time Miss Jones. I have something else in mind altogether, perhaps later..."

Martha could do nothing as she was dragged away.

* * *

Gwen knew Martha was gone before she even reached the building she'd left her in...she'd been fooled.

She let out a cry of anger fuelled frustration. She turned back; there was nothing she could do.

* * *

Jack stared at the ghostly figure of the Doctor, trying not to believe those three words that came from those lips.

"What?" was all he could say.

"I was wrong...about the Light, what the Darkness wanted, everything," the Doctor said quietly.

Jack moved closer to the ghostly figure. "What do you mean wrong?"

"I thought the Light was...but he's no better and now the Darkness he's...what have I done? What have I done?"

Jack could see the distress on the Doctor's face; this data-ghost was more than just an image, it had his emotions too. He wanted to reach out and comfort him but he knew his hand would just pass through.

"Doc, what did you get wrong?"

The Doctor took in a breath.

"I was always taught that...we were always taught that he was a defender, not a..."

The Doctor stopped and looked towards the east.

"You have to go east Jack, let what happens happen. Don't fight it, you won't be able to, but you have to go now...go!"

The Doctor began to fade but not before Jack could see the regret written across his face. As he faded away, the urge to go east returned and this time he didn't fight it.

* * *

The Doctor let out a cry of frustration and despair...all those stories, all the legends were wrong.

He couldn't fight anymore and he allowed his defences to fall and waited for the oblivion that would follow.

* * *

The Light casually ripped the eyestalk from the Dalek as it tried to break free from his grip.

He didn't flinch when a rake of laser flashed past his face as the Dalek blindly tried to rid itself of its attacker.

He growled and the Dalek lit up with blue light and began sparking and he shoved the smoking remains away from him.

He looked out at the battle and it looked like it was heading towards stalemate. It was then that he saw his brother and he frowned; he wasn't heading towards him, he was heading east...why?

Then it came to him, something his grandfather had told him on stormy nights, a tale about something more powerful and more dangerous than even his people could imagine.

Could it be possible? Was a power that he thought was nothing more than a scary tale be real? Was it here, right under his nose?

If it was, he couldn't let his brother have it...he wanted it for himself.

He snarled a command at one of the immortals and turned east, followed by at least a dozen of his soldiers.

* * *

Deep underground something stirred.

It felt a myriad life forces, something it hadn't felt for so long. But they felt like little things that would snuff out like fire bugs...and it realised it was very hungry.

* * *

The Darkness dragged Martha eastwards, not caring if he hurt her.

"Come along Martha Jones, dragging your heels will only delay the inevitable. Time is short and there's a lot to do...battles to be won, a brother to be killed, powerful evil thing to raise."

Martha dug her heels in harder, hoping she could delay the Darkness long enough for either Gwen or Jack to find them.

She had to try and delay him, so she tried another tact. "You, raise evil, that's a bit Harry Potter for an oh so powerful leader?"

The Darkness stopped and turned towards her. "Harry Potter, are you comparing me to a stupid human creation."

Martha smiled inwardly; it was easier than she thought to annoy the Darkness.

"Actually, he'd make a better job of it. He wouldn't need to steal other people's bodies to do anything."

She watched as the Darkness's eyes narrowed and let out a squeak of pain when he hauled her up to his face.

"Good try, Martha Jones, but if you think it's going to give someone time to rescue you, think again. The good captain probably has his hands full of Daleks by now and as for Gwen Cooper, well..."

It was then that Martha heard a familiar voice, raised in protest.

"Get your hands off me, filthy hybrids!"

A small group came into view, one of them being pushed along by the others.

"My, still feisty, she must be over that idiot then. So glad you could join us," the Darkness said as Gwen was pushed onto her knees in front of him.

"I think I'll keep that part of you, I like it," he said. "Bring them both."

Martha mouthed a "Sorry" to Gwen as she was grabbed by one of the hybrids and pushed along.

They'd only gone a few yards when the Darkness had had enough of the cursing and struggling from Gwen; she was wasting precious time.

He turned and put a hand up for the group to halt. He closed the space between Gwen and himself and grabbed hold of her throat.

"I would hold your tongue, unless you wish to lose it," he hissed and then looked past her.

"You have cost me time, now I will have to brutal and painful...well, painful for you."

The sound of fist hitting bone filled the air and Gwen collapsed into silence.

"There, that's better. Perhaps we can get on. No more time wasting, understood Martha Jones?" the Darkness snarled.

Martha nodded silently and allowed herself to be pushed along and trying not to glance at the bloodied face of Gwen, who was slung over the shoulder of one of the hybrids.

* * *

The Darkness had felt his brother and knew he was heading his way. He couldn't...no wouldn't let his brother get hold of the power that lay beneath his feet. The Darkness wanted it all...the Time Lord, the power and to rule this and every other universe and with the power and the Time Lord under his control, he would have it.

The ground rumbled under his feet; it was stirring.

* * *

The Light held up a hand and the immortals stopped and did not even breathe. He motioned for them to wait in the shadows and moved forward...he had heard footsteps.

He moved back a little until he merged with the shadows and waited. He hoped it was his brother, it would be easier to kill him out here, than risk him getting to what he now realised was a power so ancient his own paled in comparison.

He wanted it, but like his brother, he knew it would not accept anything tainted or human. That left only one thing...the Time Lord.

The Light smiled, that would mean his brother would have to leave the Time Lord. Yes, kill him before he had chance to find another host, then everything that was rightfully his would be his.

The footsteps failed to turn into anyone but instead seemed to head east, whoever or whatever they belonged to, they were heading to the same place.

The ground suddenly rumbled under his feet, something was stirring.

* * *

The Darkness smiled as he approached what looked stairs down into a cellar.

He could feel it now, feel the power, could feel it far beneath his feet. He could feel it calling to him...calling to be let loose.

He could feel what was left of the Time Lord reel back in fear and he laughed. "Soon Time Lord you will have more power than can ever be imagined and I will control you. How quaint that your weakness would be one of the first things I will destroy."

With that he stepped down into the darkness, followed by the hybrids and his two captives.

* * *

Jack watched as the last of the hybrids disappeared. His heart was racing, Martha and Gwen were prisoner and all he could do was follow.

Allowing what he hoped was enough time, he moved, but footsteps stopped him and he retreated to the shadows once more.

His breath caught in his throat as he watched Ianto appear, followed by a dozen of the creatures that were still battling the Daleks.

He watched as they also disappeared down the steps and this time he followed.

As he descended he forgot about the battle that was raging above.

The steps he was descending were like descending into hell itself.

* * *

Martha had despite herself taken notice of her surroundings.

The walls had been covered with paintings of what she could only describe as scenes from some kind of hell...there was torture and scenes of cruelty that not even Dante could have imagined.

She had the feeling that they were going somewhere far worse than what the Darkness had created.

She blinked...was it getting brighter?

The steps suddenly stopped and she was pushed to her knees. She looked up and let out a frightened breath.

"Delightful, isn't it?" the Darkness said.

He turned to Martha, a way too happy grin on his face.

"Tell me Martha Jones, do you humans have a God or even a Devil? If you have, then you'd better pray to both of them."

He then turned and raised his hands and the light brightened and revealed the room, no, chamber they were in.

Martha didn't look at the paintings on the wall nor at the treasures that filled every corner.

She only had eyes for the huge statue that dominated the huge chamber. If there was a Devil, then Martha was sure she was looking at it.


	24. Chapter 24

"A lovely statue, don't you think. Of course it's only an image of what they thought it looked like. You primitives do love your teeth and

claws. It's funny how an idea can spark such creativity. Of course, the reality is much, much worse."

The Darkness knelt and placed his hands on two indentations on the stone floor and deep beneath the group's feet the ground began to rumble and shift.

The Darkness's voice rose above what sound to Martha like huge gates opening as he moved across to the now stirring Gwen.

"What superb timing, I needed you awake," he said. "Stand her up!"

Martha could only watch as the Darkness placed his hands against her temple. She could only watch as Gwen began to shake and the Darkness let out a gasp of pain.

She blinked and focused her eyes again...were the dark veins disappearing from the Doctor's pale features.

She flinched as both the Darkness and Gwen cried out in unison and she closed her eyes to what she thought would be the site of both Gwen and the Darkness collapsing on the floor.

She opened her eyes when Gwen spoke and the tone was a familiar and chilling one. Her eyes went to the floor to find the Doctor in a heap at Gwen's feet.

"Well, this is new, it's very...never mind."

Gwen looked down at the crumpled form of the Time Lord. "So very weak, soon you will have a new energy and a new master."

"Oh, he'll have a new master. Just not you brother," a voice came from behind Martha and she was nearly blinded by the blue light that arched over her head.

* * *

The Darkness spun away from the unconscious Time Lord but seemed unfazed by the light.

"Hello brother, late again."

The Light stepped down onto the stone floor, taking in everything as his soldiers placed themselves opposite the Darkness's hybrids.

"Oh, I'm not late, in fact, I think I'm just in time. You don't have the Time Lord's body anymore...which means..."

Another bolt shot out and hit Gwen full in the chest, the sound of her hitting the wall drowned out by the increasing noise beneath their feet.

The hybrids that were holding Martha suddenly let go of her and managed to crawl a few yards before the ground began to shake violently. It felt like an earthquake, but she knew it was more than that.

She forced herself forward; she had to get to the fallen Doctor.

She let out a frightened cry when she was grabbed from behind and hauled behind a pillar. Her fright turned to anger and lashed out.

"Hey, it's me," a familiar American accent hissed.

She turned, she was never gladder to see a friendly face than she was now.

"Ja..."She began to say, but he placed a finger on her lips and shook his head and nodded behind her.

She turned and started.

* * *

Once again the two brothers were engaged in a physical struggle, only this time it was Gwen and Ianto.

But that wasn't Martha and Jack's main focus of attention, nor was the still unconscious Doctor.

Their attention was taken by the crack that was appearing in the statue and the increase in the tremors.

"The Doctor, I have to get to him!" Martha had to shout.

Jack shook his head. "Too dangerous!"

"No Jack, he's going to be host to whatever comes out of that!" she pointed at the ever widening crack in the statue and moved, straight into the arm of one of the Immortals.

Jack moved too but found his way barred by two of the hybrids and found himself held in vice-like grips.

There was screeching hiss of escaping air and the air was filled with an ear-splitting crack as the statue split apart and crumbled.

It caused even the two combatants to stop and turn towards the sound.

The Darkness turned to his brother, well aware that he may not win this fight and tried a new tactic.

"Brother, listen to me. Neither of us can win this fight, but together we can become unstoppable. With the power that will be harnessed through the Time Lord we can truly become gods...what say you?"

The Light looked at his brother and then at crumbling statue and then at the still fallen Time Lord. He knew his brother was treacherous and should not be trusted; but the desire to have the power, even shared was enough to persuade him.

"Agreed, if we can harness the power."

"That we cannot, but we, I can control the Time Lord. I know his weaknesses."

The Light looked at his brother and then followed his gaze and smiled.

"The humans?"

"Yes and not just in this universe...there is someone he holds as more precious than the rest. As long as I have that, I, we have the Time Lord. But these two will suffice."

The Darkness stopped and looked back at the statue. "It's time, bring them!"

* * *

Jack tried his best to struggle as he was dragged towards the brothers. He was almost stopped in his tracks by the fetid, sulphurous smell that emanated from the destroyed statue. He was forced to his knees in front of the brothers.

"Well, there's no point in killing him, he only comes back. But he'll be fun as a toy," the Darkness said.

The Light nodded and looked at Martha, who was quiet and fearful. "Now this one will make a tasty morsel for it."

The Darkness nodded and looked once more at the gap where the statue had been.

"It's coming, wake him up," he gestured to the crumpled form of the Doctor.

He looked down at Jack. "Now Harkness, you will stand witness to the birth of a new empire. An empire where humans and all the lower life forms will worship their new gods."

He stepped past Jack and hauled the still unconscious Time Lord up and dragged him to the feet of the statue.

"Don't think hiding in the dark will save you," he snarled and let go, not caring if the Time Lord's head hit the floor with a skull cracking thud.

He stepped back and with his brother awaited their destiny.

* * *

Jack kept struggling but to no avail, but he stopped when he heard what sound like footsteps belonging to something very large. He glanced over at Martha who was frozen in what was probably fear.

He looked over at what were once two of his closest friends and finally saw that they were lost. He looked over at the still form of the Doctor and knew he could not stop what was about to happen.

The words of the ghostly figure of the Doctor echoed in his ear. "Let what happens happen."

If he was expecting something large to accompany the footsteps, then he was mistaken...what came out didn't have a body, well not a physical one.

* * *

Black smoke curled out of the gap and began to coalesce into something that looked vaguely body shaped and it seemed impossible that it had footsteps, but it did.

The ground reverberated as it stepped out of the large crack and halted just in front of the body of the Doctor.

Its head or what looked its head tilted downwards. A smoky hand reached out and brushed the body, which twitched at its touch.

"Time Lord!" a voice rumbled from within it. "Who brings me a Time Lord?"

It looked up and stared at each person in the room with empty pits that should have been eyes.

"Who brings me a Time Lord?" it repeated.

It turned its head when someone cleared their throat.

"I did," the Light said.

The smoke creature rested its gaze upon the figure that had spoken.

"Then come forward and claim your reward."

The Light gave his brother a triumphant smirk and walked forward.

"You are the one who brought me the Time Lord?"

"Yes, I knew you needed a host worthy of your great power."

"Is that so? Do you think that I need your help in such a task?"

The Light frowned. "You are displeased."

The smoke creature bent at the waist and towered over the Light. "I can see what you are and what you are is a tiny little thing that is nothing but a power hungry parasite."

The Light went to take a step back, but before he could even take a half-step a smoky hand engulfed him.

"I cannot tolerate any challenge to my power," the smoke creature rumbled. "You will feed me."

The scream that was ripped from Ianto's throat as the Light was dragged painfully and slowly out of its host made Jack freeze in horror...this thing was no better!

* * *

Seconds seemed to turn into eons as Jack watched Ianto writhe in agony in the grasp of the creature. He wanted to run to him as he dropped to the floor but was held fast by the two hybrids.

"He always was ambitious," the Darkness said.

The creature focused its gaze on the Darkness. "You are no different, you are the one that dared possess the body of the Time Lord and ally yourself with lesser creatures. You too shall feed me."

"No, I serve only you!" the Darkness shouted.

The creature took a step forward. "Do not think taking the form of a female will save you. I don't share power with anyone."

The Darkness ran behind his own and the Light's soldiers.

"Protect me!" he cried and ran behind a pillar.

Laser fire filled the air but passed harmlessly through the creature.

It roared its anger and swept an arm towards the soldiers and they were tossed aside like dust in the wind.

* * *

Jack watched all of it with increasing horror and helplessness. He couldn't stop any of it, held back as he was.

Then he felt the grip on his arms loosen and with a surge of anger he broke the hold the hybrids had on him and dashed away, but stopped a few seconds later.

Who did he go to first?

Before he had chance to make a decision there was the sound of something being crushed and he spun round.

The pillar the Darkness had gone behind had exploded into dust as the smoke creature demolished it.

Jack's attention was drawn to the roof of the chamber as a large crack began to skitter across it.

He had no way of knowing if Gwen or Ianto were dead. He had to concentrate on the one person he knew was at least alive and awake.

He found her behind one of the pillars, arms wrapped round her knees. He gently touched her but still she jumped.

"Martha, it's me. We have to get out of here. This place is going to come down."

Martha shook her head. "The Doctor, we have to save him, we have to."

Jack looked over at the inert shape that was the Doctor, looking carefully for any signs of life.

It was then that he noticed it had gone quiet, which in his books was never a good thing.

He was right to think so when the ground underneath him shook and he didn't need to look up to know that the smoke creature had lost interest in playing hide and seek with the Darkness and had turned its attention to them.

Jack looked up and up until he was eye to eyeless socket with the creature. He stepped in front of Martha; not that it would do much good.

"Little things," the creature hissed and with one finger forced Jack and Martha out into the open

The creature bent at the waist and looked a Jack. "You are different from the rest, you smell like a human but...immortal. You I can feed off for a long time."

It looked at Martha. "This one I will eat now," it rumbled and reached for her.

"No!" a voice rang out from behind the creature.

* * *

In the melee and the carnage he'd been forgotten and he had come round to a scene he did not wish to see.

The thing that he feared would happen had happened, and he knew now what had to be done. With a groan that was a mixture of pain and resignation he pushed himself up off the floor.

His body protested at the movement, damaged as it was from the misuse by the Darkness and the non- to- kind ministration of Davros, but he knew that he had to save everyone and stop the battle that was still raging in the city.

If it meant sacrificing himself and letting this place become his tomb, then so be it.

He pulled himself to his full height and with as much strength as he could gather he called out.

The smoke creature turned and looked down.

"Time Lord," it hissed and a trail of smoke drifted from its mouth.

"Oh, you are hungry," the Doctor said. "Been a while since you've eaten, I'll bet. Well, here's a nice tasty meal for you."

Jack was elated to see the Doctor alive but his heart sank when he spoke those words.

"Doctor, no!" he yelled and he felt Martha tighten her grip on his arm.

They both knew what the Doctor intended to do but they were having none of that.

They tensed again when the creature turned back to them.

"I think I will eat these first. You will fight too much if they are still alive," and began reaching for Martha.

"No...No...No!" the Doctor cried and forced his legs to move, trying to hide the pain he was in.

He scurried round the creature and stood in front of Jack and Martha.

"Wait! You really don't want to eat them!" he yelled and then his voice dropped to a lower tone.

"You're hungry, I understand that, but think about it, if you go stomping about out there your food will just run away. What you need is a disguise...me."

"Doctor no," Jack said again.

The Doctor ignored him. "Well, I'm offering. No resistance, but only if you let them go."

The smoke creature seemed to be thinking about it, smoke curling from its mouth.

"Agreed," it rumbled. "You will not resist. You are willing to destroy your mind, for these little things."

"Yes," the Doctor replied. "Let me say goodbye to them."

The smoke creature nodded and seemed to stop as if to give the Doctor some privacy.

He turned back to Jack and Martha, who were looking at him with concern written all over their faces.

"We're not going anywhere!" Jack hissed.

"Yes you are Jack. You need to get Ianto out of here. Get everyone you can away from it and the Darkness, get out of the city."

"What about Gwen?"

The Doctor face hardened. "She may be lost Jack. Now go!"

* * *

Jack went to protest again but was interrupted by the smoke creature.

"Enough Time Lord. Give yourself to me."

"Okay!" the Doctor snapped. "Go Jack!"

Jack looked at the Doctor and heard the hard edge to Doctor's voice, the steel in it...the no arguments tone.

He nodded and began pulling a protesting Martha away and towards Ianto, who was stirring.

"We can't leave them!" Martha protested.

Jack turned on her. "Don't you get it, he knows there's no other choice. He's giving us a chance. Now help me with Ianto!"

Martha glared at Jack but acquiesced and took hold of Ianto's other arm.

"I'll never forgive for this Jack Harkness," she growled.

"I know," he said sadly.

He looked once more at the Doctor, standing in front of the smoke creature and then turned away and with Martha's help started climbing the steps.

* * *

The Doctor saw the trio disappear up the steps in the corner of his eye and smiled. At least he'd managed to save three of them, but his hearts ached at the loss of Gwen to the Darkness.

But if this went to plan, the Darkness would not escape and at least Gwen's suffering would be short.

He looked up at the smoke creature and drew in a deep breath and gathered what strength he had.

"Let's get this over with shall we?"


	25. Chapter 25

He braced himself as the smoke creature reached out and like its namesake it curled round the Doctor and began to fill his nostrils and his mouth.

He tried not to choke as the taste was vile, like being forced to drink bitumen. He forced himself to relax, knowing that he had to do this to make his plan work.

He shuddered when he felt the real creature touch his mind... it was so powerful...so old and so hungry but still he let it invade him.

Just a little bit more, he said to himself...that's it, take the bait.

He reached out with the part of his mind that was still free of the creature. He could sense that the trio were out in the open, but still in danger. He had to hold on...wait, the Darkness, it was still inside. Maybe he could...if he could hold out for long enough.

If he touched the power of the creature, just for a second...perhaps he could. He reached out and touched the edges of it. He nearly recoiled when he touched it, now he knew for certain it had to be destroyed; it was like touching hell itself.

A movement caught his eye and without thinking he caught the figure that emerged from its hiding place with a flick of his eyes.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

* * *

The Darkness had hid himself, waiting for the right moment to run. It had heard snatches of the conversation and had decided to take his chance. Better to have an army of Daleks than be a meal, and the sooner he could ditch this human female, the better.

He took his chance whilst the creature was pre-occupied with the Time Lord...well he thought he would.

He'd only gone a few paces when he felt an unseen hand stop him. He panicked and tried to move back, but was dragged forward until he was facing the Time Lord but not quite the Time Lord.

He'd wanted control of the Time Lord once the power had been contained inside him, but not this.

"Going somewhere?" a voice that was definitely the Time Lord's asked him.

Summoning the courage from somewhere the Darkness replied. "I was going to stop them escaping."

His answer earned him a raised eyebrow and now empty black eyes boring into his host's as if looking for something.

* * *

The Doctor drew more of the creature's power, knowing it was shorten the time he had left and looked into Gwen's eyes and deeper into her mind, hoping for... yes there, a glimmer of hope.

He didn't have much time, he knew that now. He could feel his consciousness fading and slipping away. If he could free Gwen from her prison then he could let go happily and with a free conscience.

He searched through her mind for the Darkness and found him, cowering in the deepest recess and drawing more of the creature into him, he latched onto him.

"You've created hell for billions and I didn't fight back. For that I deserve whatever hell is reserved for me. But you, you deserve whatever hell this thing came from."

With the last of his mental strength he grabbed hold of the Darkness and pulled him from Gwen's mind, closing himself off the screams of pain from her as he ripped the Darkness from her.

As he felt her collapse he released a little of the power from the creature, just enough to keep her conscious and held her as she came round.

* * *

Gwen felt like she'd been trapped in molasses and opened her eyes and looked straight into golden brown ones.

She tried to struggle but was held fast. A voice, soft and filled with sadness whispered to her.

"It's alright, you're safe," the voice said and released the hold it had on her.

She stepped away, fear written on her face, but it faded when she saw the pain scribed across the face of her rescuer.

"Go!" he gasped. "I can't...much longer!"

"I'm sorry," she said and turned away and hurried up the steps that were beginning to crack. She tried not to here the scream of agony that echoed after her.

His words were cut off by his own scream...no, not yet, he hadn't finished...they needed to be safe...he had to hold on...one more thing.

* * *

Jack and Martha stumbled out of the tunnel into the brightness of the city and into a battle. In the time they had been inside the chamber the battle between the Daleks and the Immortals had moved into the square that led to the steps.

Both sides were vastly depleted and there seemed to be more Daleks in the sky and the Immortals were losing the battle through sheer force of numbers.

As they stumbled into the light, several Daleks turned in their direction and they froze, knowing that death was their only fate.

Then they heard it, the most wonderful and miraculous sound in the universe. Their hearts soared as a familiar blue wooden shape began to coalesce in front of them.

The TARDIS materialised quicker than it usually did and the doors were open.

Spurred on by the miracle Jack dragged and pushed Martha and Ianto ahead of him and shoved them through the open door and expected them to close behind them; but they didn't and then he saw why.

Another miracle appeared in the form of Gwen emerging from the tunnel, he face set in grim determination.

Jack's hand went to his sidearm but as Gwen came closer he could see she was pale but it looked like her as she barrelled into the TARDIS.

It had to be her? Why else would the TARDIS let her in?

The answer was forthcoming as the doors began to shut behind her and the sound of the engines filled the air.

Jack made a decision in the seconds between and dived out of the door.

* * *

"Jack!" Martha screamed as he squeezed through the gap just before the doors shut and the TARDIS began to dematerialise.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled, knowing the TARDIS was doing what the Doctor had programmed her to do. "You take us back!"

The rumble she got in returned sounded like a refusal, so she began pulling every lever and hitting every button.

She let out a frustrated scream when the TARDIS refused to budge from its course.

"Take us back!" she sobbed and sank to the floor beside a still shocked Gwen and Ianto.

"You can't leave them...you can't."

She felt the TARDIS shudder and there was change in the sound of the engine.

"Thank you," she said and wiped a tear from her eyes.

Deep inside the TARDIS her huge heart heaved, torn as she was between obeying her Time Lord and doing what Martha begged.

She made a decision and knew her pilot may never forgive her and changed course.

She couldn't let him die, not like this...she loved him too much.

* * *

The Doctor could hear himself screaming as the power of the creature burnt through his body.

He'd felt the TARDIS and was glad that they would be safe, now he could let go and end this.

He could hear the Darkness screaming along with him and that made him happy; at least he would be taken it with him as well as the creature. He'd had a glimpse of the hell the creature had come from and he knew it would be nothing short of an eternity of pain and torture...but that was fine.

He knew when he triggered the trap he'd set it would take the city, the temple and anything that was on the ground with him...all there to torment him in hell.

He steeled himself and with what was left of his own mind he closed trap around the creature and with an almighty effort began expelling it from himself.

The pain was beyond anything he'd felt as once again that taste of bitumen filled his mouth and black smoke began to pour from his mouth and began to coalesce as the creature again.

It howled as it felt itself being torn apart and the Doctor felt the ground beneath him shift...it was beginning.

With a sigh he finally let go and sank to floor, feeling everything that was him slip away, never noticing the figure that emerged from the falling rubble and dust into the chamber.

* * *

Jack burst out of the tunnel as the ground began to shift and dodged pieces of falling masonry.

He's heard the agonised scream and that had spurred him to even greater speed. He was however stopped in his tracks when he saw the figure crumpled on the floor and the floor cracking around it.

"No!" he cried and sprinted over to the figure and grabbed hold of the collar of the Doctor's coat and dragged him away.

He tried not to look at what the crumbling floor was revealing; he didn't want to know. He turned the Doctor over and his heart nearly stopped when he realised there was no sign of life.

"No, not this time," he said and placed his mouth against the Doctor's mouth and breathed his life essence into him.

The Doctor heaved under him but once again became lifeless. Jack tried again but there was no response...the Doctor was gone.

The ground shifted under him and the hole that was a few feet away from him began to expand, revealing more of what lay underneath.

Jack looked down at the still dead Time Lord and smiled sadly. "At least we'll be together," he said quietly and gathered the Doctor's body in a protective if useless embrace.

Then he heard it, that miraculous sound and the shape of that wonderful blue box as it began to form.

The door was flung open and many pairs of hands grabbed Jack and the Doctor and hauled them into the still coalescing TARDIS, the doors slamming behind them and fading away before it had solidified.

As it faded the floor vanished in a sea of fire and the screams of something that knew it was going to hell.

The ground around the hidden chamber began collapsing in on itself and the hole began spreading, reaching out to the two armies still fighting and swallowed them with the ease of a shark swallowing a minnow.

The Daleks that remained in the air halted, unsure of what to do. Then the call came, a familiar voice, one that they were programmed to obey.

"My Daleks, return to me. Return to your Creator."

"We obey!" they chorused and turned away as the city below began to disappear and turn into a lake of fiery destruction.

* * *

Jack took in a huge gasp of air as he realised he was safe within the TARDIS and was elated when the Doctor suddenly heaved under him.

He began to laugh...the joy of escaping what was certain death and getting everybody back. But most of all he had his Doctor back, a little battered but alive.

He looked down at the Doctor and his laughter was cut short at the look of confusion on the Time Lord's face.

He wasn't prepared for the cry of terror that preceded the Doctor wrenching himself from Jack's grip and scrabbling to the edge of the platform.

"Doctor?" he said softly.

The others had now taken notice and were staring at the Doctor too.

The Doctor's reaction was a shock to them all. "Where the hell am I, and who the hell are you!"

Before anyone had a chance to take in the words or form a reply the TARDIS lurched and the sound that came from deep within sounded like a wounded animal and lurched again.

Jack ripped his eyes away from the still terrified Doctor and managed to haul himself upright as the TARDIS lurched again. He tried to close his ears to the sound coming from below and the demands of the Doctor and looked at the screen.

His eyes widened in shock...they were on course for Earth...but they were out of control.

"We're going to crash!" he yelled

Everybody bar the Doctor grabbed hold of something for support and closed their eyes.

That awful sound filled the TARDIS and the impact as it hit threw the occupants around like tumbleweed in the wind and they were plunged into darkness.

Jack was the first to come round and coughed as his lungs filled with acrid smoke. The whole chamber was bathed in a sickly green glow. He could see the others were stirring and began looking for the Doctor and began to panic when he couldn't see him.

Then an awful thought struck him and he looked over at the doors.

They were wide open...the Doctor was gone!

* * *

He stumbled out into the rain and away from whatever the thing was he'd found himself in...away from the group of people he didn't know.

He never looked back, he just ran, not stopping until his body screamed at him to stop. He looked round and spotted what looked like shelter.

He crawled underneath the pile of wood and metal and huddled into one corner.

He was cold, bleeding and very frightened...where was he and who the hell was he?

_**TBC in 'Inaestimabilis proprietas (Priceless Property)'**_


End file.
